Dear Department of Health,

I request a document that contains the total number of labour hire staff procured throughout your department.

I also request a document that contains the total number of labour hire staff procured throughout the APS, that are fulfilling functionally equivalent roles to actual APS employees throughout your department.

Additionally, I seek a document that contains the amount spent on labour hire staff procured throughout your department, for the 19/20 financial year.

Finally, I seek a document that contains the amount spent on labour hire staff procured throughout your department, for the 19/20 financial year; that are fulfilling functionally equivalent roles to actual APS employees in your department.

If any of the above documents do not exist please advise.

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I additionally seek that a charge not be imposed for this FOI request;

The use of labour hire services in the public service is a matter that has been discussed by many outlets, in both the mainstream and independent media.

Further clarity on the use of labour hire employees throughout government departments, (both Commonwealth and State) is of interest to a substantial section of the public.

Information about the number of labour hire employees working APS-equivalent roles, is not currently available within the DHS annual reports. That is why this FOI request is necessary.

To substantiate this point, let me point out a number of recent articles written about public sector use of labour hire:

Sydney Morning Herald:
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/...

ABC News:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-03/a...

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-06/n...

Michael West Media:
https://www.michaelwest.com.au/boomers-v...

It is also a topic that has been of interest to the CPSU, a union that represents a substantial section of the public (namely, public servant union members)

https://www.cpsu.org.au/campaigns/scrap-...

In light of the above, please waive the fee associated with this request; on the ground that this is a public interest inquiry.

Yours faithfully,

John Smith

Dear FOI,

I seek internal review of this decision. Please produce the document under s17 of the FOI act.

Yours sincerely,

John Smith

Dear Carl English,

I agree to the extension of time.

Yours sincerely,

John Smith