Documents Relating to Consultations for the Development of Mefloquine Information Sessions
Dear Department of Veterans' Affairs,
In December 2016 the Department of Veterans Affairs conducted a series of information sessions regarding the adverse health effects of the anti-malarial drug mefloquine. The Minister for Veterans Affairs stated:
“The information sessions have been developed by the DVA–Defence Links Steering Committee in consultation with other Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) forums, including the Ex-Service Organisation Round Table and the Younger Veterans – Contemporary Needs Forum."[1]
I hereby request to be provided with documents relating to the "consultations" on the development of these information sessions, including minutes of the relevant meetings of the DVA–Defence Links Steering Committee, the Ex-Service Organisation Round Table and the Younger Veterans – Contemporary Needs Forum.
Yours faithfully,
Stuart McCarthy
References:
1. The Hon Dan Tehan MP, Media release: DVA information sessions to be held in Townsville, Minister for Veterans Affairs, 8 December 2016. http://minister.dva.gov.au/media_release...
Dear Mr McCarthy,
Freedom of Information Request: FOI 13937
I refer to your request for access to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act). Your request is in the following terms:
In December 2016 the Department of Veterans Affairs conducted a series of information sessions regarding the adverse health effects of the anti-malarial drug mefloquine. The Minister for Veterans Affairs stated:
“The information sessions have been developed by the DVA–Defence Links Steering Committee in consultation with other Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) forums, including the Ex-Service Organisation Round Table and the Younger Veterans – Contemporary Needs Forum."[1]
I hereby request to be provided with documents relating to the "consultations" on the development of these information sessions, including minutes of the relevant meetings of the DVA–Defence Links Steering Committee, the Ex-Service Organisation Round Table and the Younger Veterans – Contemporary Needs Forum.
We received your request on 14 February 2017 and the 30 day statutory period for processing your request commenced from the day after that date. You should therefore expect a decision by 16 March 2017. The period of 30 days may be extended if we need to consult third parties, impose a charge or for other reasons. We will advise you if this happens.
You will be notified of any charges in relation to your request as soon as possible, before we process any requested documents or impose a final charge.
We will contact you using the email address you have provided. Please advise if you would prefer us to use an alternative means of contact.
If you have any questions, please contact me using the following details:
Post: GPO Box 9998 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Facsimile: (02) 6289 6337
Email: [DVA request email]
Yours sincerely
Shihara Caner
Information Access Officer
Information Law
Legal Services, Assurance & Deregulation
21 February 2017
Dear Mr McCarthy,
I am writing to seek your agreement to an extension of time for the processing of this request.
Currently the Department is processing a large number of requests under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act). In addition, this request will likely require the Department to consult several business areas and possibly other agencies before making a decision on whether to release documents.
For these reasons, I would be grateful if you would consider agreeing to a 30 day extension of time to process this request. Your request is currently due on 16 March 2017. If you are agreeable to this extension, your request will fall due on 18 April 2017 (taking into account the Easter long weekend).
If you agree to this request for an extension of time, I will notify the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner of our agreement, as required by s 15AA of the FOI Act.
Please contact me if you have any questions about this request.
Regards
Frank White
Assistant Director
Information Law
Legal Services & Assurance
Dear Mr McCarthy
I refer to the email below, sent to you on 9 March 2017, seeking an extension to process your request under the Freedom of Information Act 1982
The Department has not received a response from you in relation to our request for an extension. Please provide confirmation of your agreement to an extension by close of business tomorrow - 15 March 2017.
If you do not agree to an extension or do not respond to our request by this time, the Department will apply to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) for an extension of time to process this request, in accordance with section 15AB of the FOI Act.
Please contact me if you have any questions about this request.
Kind regards,
Nadia Vittoria
Legal Officer
Information Law
Legal Services & Assurance Branch
Dear Nadia,
Thankyou for your emails of 9 and 14 March, seeking an extension of time to process this FOI request.
I do not agree to this extension. Given that the Minister has publicly referred to "consultations" via the DVA–Defence Links Steering Committee, the Ex-Service Organisation Round Table and the Younger Veterans – Contemporary Needs Forum in his media release, the minutes of the relevant meetings, subsequent briefings to the Minister and related documents should be readily available, for example:
a. DVA–Defence Links Steering Committee meeting of 1 November 2016 - http://www.dva.gov.au/sites/default/file...
b. Ex-Service Organisation Round Table meeting of 12 April 2016 - http://www.dva.gov.au/consultation-and-g...
c. Younger Veterans – Contemporary Needs Forum meeting of 17 November 2016 - http://www.dva.gov.au/consultation-and-g...
I look forward to receiving these documents by 16 March.
Yours sincerely,
Stuart McCarthy
Dear Mr McCarthy
Freedom of Information Request: FOI 13937
Please find attached the Statement of Reasons regarding your recent
request under the Freedom of Information Act 1982.
Kind regards
Nadia Vittoria
Legal Officer
Information Law
Legal Services & Assurance
18 April 2017