Costs and Architecture diagram for COVIDSafe server technologies

Richard Nelson made this Freedom of Information request to Digital Transformation Agency

This request has been closed to new correspondence from the public body. Contact us if you think it ought be re-opened.

The request was refused by Digital Transformation Agency.

Dear Digital Transformation Agency,

Please provide documents detailing

1) Monthly cost breakdowns for Amazon Web Services spend related to COVIDSafe server side components
2) Architecture diagrams and related resource requirements for COVIDSafe Amazon Web Services components.

Yours faithfully,
Richard Nelson

Dear Digital Transformation Agency,

To understand why this is being requested as a matter of public interest; I believe taxpayers deserve to know how an application that is of dubious value, and where the vast majority of application data is stored on end users’ phones, costs a reported $100k/month in hosting. The AWS bill, resourcing requirements and architecture diagrams would help explain this - and/or clarify if the reporting is misleading.

I don’t believe that publishing either of these items would be of concern with regards to security of the application or data. Already published design of COVIDSafe data encryption, transport and existing security controls are sufficient; hiding architecture details or cost breakdowns would simply be obscurity.

Yours faithfully,
Richard Nelson

DTA FOI, Digital Transformation Agency

OFFICIAL

Dear Richard

I acknowledge receipt of your request dated 26 March 2021 in which you requested under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act) access to:

“1) Monthly cost breakdowns for Amazon Web Services spend related to COVIDSafe server side components
2) Architecture diagrams and related resource requirements for COVIDSafe Amazon Web Services components.”


Notice of Consultation

Your request covers a document relating to the business, commercial or financial affairs of an organization. Accordingly, DTA is required to consult with the organisation concerned before making a decision on the release of this document.

Section 27 of the FOI Act provides that if a request is made to an agency for access to a document containing business information organisation, and it appears to the agency that the organization might reasonably wish to make a contention that the document is exempt under section 47 (trade secrets etc), or section 47G (business information) of the FOI Act, then the agency must not decide to give access to the document unless the organisation concerned is given a reasonable opportunity to make submissions in support of their contention, if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The DTA will take into account any comments we receive from the organisation. However, the final decision on whether to grant access to the document requested rests with DTA.

Extension of time to process the request
In accordance with section 15(6) of the FOI Act, the period for processing your request has been extended by an additional 30 days in order to allow DTA time to consult with the organisation. The processing period for this request will now end on 26 May 2021.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me directly

Regards
Suzie Sazdanovic
Privacy and FOI Manager
Digital Transformation Agency (DTA)
T 02 6120 8595

OFFICIAL

-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Nelson <[FOI #7182 email]>
Sent: Friday, 26 March 2021 1:59 PM
To: DTA FOI <[DTA request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Costs and Architecture diagram for COVIDSafe server technologies

Dear Digital Transformation Agency,

Please provide documents detailing

1) Monthly cost breakdowns for Amazon Web Services spend related to COVIDSafe server side components
2) Architecture diagrams and related resource requirements for COVIDSafe Amazon Web Services components.

Yours faithfully,
Richard Nelson

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DTA FOI, Digital Transformation Agency

2 Attachments

OFFICIAL

 

Dear Mr Richard Nelson

 

Please find attached DTA's decision in response to your request.

 

Thanks

 

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Nelson <[FOI #7182 email]>
Sent: Friday, 26 March 2021 1:59 PM
To: DTA FOI <[DTA request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Costs and Architecture diagram
for COVIDSafe server technologies

 

Dear Digital Transformation Agency,

 

Please provide documents detailing

 

1) Monthly cost breakdowns for Amazon Web Services spend related to
COVIDSafe server side components

2) Architecture diagrams and related resource requirements for COVIDSafe
Amazon Web Services components.

 

Yours faithfully,

Richard Nelson

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[1][FOI #7182 email]

 

Is [2][DTA request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests
to Digital Transformation Agency? If so, please contact us using this
form:

[3]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...

 

This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This
message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet.
More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:

[4]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...

 

 

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

OFFICIAL

______________________________________________________________________

IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the
message from your computer system.
______________________________________________________________________

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