Number of ATCW's [cull permits] issued in local government areas.

Charlie Schroeder made this Freedom of Information request to Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

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 successful.

Charlie Schroeder

Dear Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning - Victoria,

Could I please receive reports or URL which supply the name of the local government areas of Victoria and the number of ATCW's [cull permits] requested and issued in each of these, for all species of kangaroos for the years: 2013 - 2014 - 2015.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Charlie Schroeder

Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

5 Attachments

Hello Mr Schroeder,

You will need to submit an FOI request for such reports.

Details about how to lodge a request were included in my previous message.

Regards,

Kim Reeves | Principal Advisor FOI & Privacy |Legal Services Division
Corporate Services | Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning

[1]www.delwp.vic.gov.au

[2][IMG]  [3][IMG]  [4][IMG]  [5][IMG]  [6][IMG]

From:        Charlie Schroeder
<[FOI #1788 email]>
To:        "FOI requests at Department of Environment, Land, Water and
Planning - Victoria" <[Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning request email]>,
Date:        01/04/2016 09:17 AM
Subject:        Freedom of Information request - Number of ATCW's [cull
permits] issued in local government areas.

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

Dear Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning - Victoria,

Could I please receive reports or URL which supply the name of the local
government areas of Victoria and the number of ATCW's [cull permits]
requested and issued in each of these, for all species of kangaroos for
the years: 2013 - 2014 - 2015.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Charlie Schroeder

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

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #1788 email]

Is [Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information
requests to Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning -
Victoria? If so, please contact us using this form:
[7]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:
[8]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.

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

References

Visible links
1. http://www.delwp.vic.gov.au/
2. http://www.delwp.vic.gov.au/facebook
3. https://twitter.com/DELWP_Vic
4. https://www.linkedin.com/company/departm...
5. https://www.youtube.com/c/DELWPVicGovAus...
6. http://instagram.com/delwp_vic/
7. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...
8. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...

Charlie Schroeder

Dear Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning - Victoria,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning - Victoria's handling of my FOI request 'Number of ATCW's [cull permits] issued in local government areas.'.

I have been refused the information as described above, which I assume are public reports that should be available to the public. My request to receive information that should **not** be clandestine or covert in any way should be honoured by a government department.

With electronic messaging the cost to produce them here, or email these to me, or place them on an internet repository where they can be accessed and viewed would not be substantial. Certainly not as costly as has been suggested by this URL: http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/about-us/legi... and this is only for a request, there is no guarantee that I would receive the reports. So could be throwing money away.

Please allow these reports requested to be made available.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/n...

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Charlie Schroeder

Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

5 Attachments

Dear Mr Schroeder,

Please be advised that the Victorian FOI Act does not provide for internal
reviews of FOI decision. If you wish to make a complaint regarding the
handling of an FOI request you may contact the Victorian Freedom of
Information Commissioner.

Information about making a complaint can be found here:
[1]http://foicommissioner.vic.gov.au/home/c...

Please note that you have not been refused access to the information and
no decision under the FOI Act has been made. You have been provided with
information about how to access it pursuant to the FOI Act.

The information sought exists on a database. Reports based on the
parameters you identify (species, date, municipality) would need to be
produced. Whilst the FOI Act does not generally require the production of
documents, it does provide that where the documents exist in a
non-discrete form (such as data on a database), and the agency can produce
a discrete document containing this information, then it should do so
(refer to section 19 of the Victorian FOI Act).

Again, if you wish to obtain these reports under the FOI Act, you will
need to submit a valid request. Information about how to make a valid
request is also available on the FOI Online Website:
[2]http://www.foi.vic.gov.au/

Regards,

Kim Reeves | Principal Advisor FOI & Privacy |Legal Services
Corporate Services | Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning

[3]www.delwp.vic.gov.au

[4][IMG]  [5][IMG]  [6][IMG]  [7][IMG]  [8][IMG]

From:        Charlie Schroeder
<[FOI #1788 email]>
To:        "FOI requests at Department of Environment, Land, Water and
Planning - Victoria" <[Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning request email]>,
Date:        01/04/2016 10:01 AM
Subject:        Internal review of Freedom of Information request - Number
of ATCW's [cull permits] issued in local government areas.

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

Dear Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning - Victoria,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information
reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Department of Environment,
Land, Water and Planning - Victoria's handling of my FOI request 'Number
of ATCW's [cull permits] issued in local government areas.'.

I have been refused the information as described above, which I assume are
public reports that should be available to the public. My request to
receive information that should **not** be clandestine or covert in any
way should be honoured by a government department.

With electronic messaging the cost to produce them here, or email these to
me, or place them on an internet repository where they can be accessed and
viewed would not be substantial. Certainly not as costly as has been
suggested by this URL:
[9]http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/about-us/legi...
and this is only for a request, there is no guarantee that I would receive
the reports. So could be throwing money away.

Please allow these reports requested to be made available.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on
the Internet at this address:
[10]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/n...

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Charlie Schroeder

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #1788 email]

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:
[11]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.

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

References

Visible links
1. http://foicommissioner.vic.gov.au/home/c...
2. http://www.foi.vic.gov.au/
3. http://www.delwp.vic.gov.au/
4. http://www.delwp.vic.gov.au/facebook
5. https://twitter.com/DELWP_Vic
6. https://www.linkedin.com/company/departm...
7. https://www.youtube.com/c/DELWPVicGovAus...
8. http://instagram.com/delwp_vic/
9. http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/about-us/legi...
10. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/n...
11. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...

Charlie Schroeder

Dear Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning - Victoria,

Could I please receive reports or URL which supply the name of the
local government areas of Victoria and the number of ATCW's [cull
permits] requested and issued in each of these, for all species of
kangaroos for the years: 2013 - 2014 - 2015.

From this URL:

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/c...

[quote]

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 1982 - SECT 19

Requests involving use of computers etc.
(1) Where—

(a) a request is duly made to an agency;

(b) it appears from the request that the desire of the applicant is for information that is not available in discrete form in documents of the agency; and

(c) the agency could produce a written document containing the information in discrete form by—

(i) the use of a computer or other equipment that is ordinarily available to the agency for retrieving or collating stored information; or

(ii) the making of a transcript from a sound recording held in the agency—

the agency shall deal with the request as if it were a request for access to a written document so produced and containing that information and, for that purpose, this Act applies as if the agency had such a document in its possession.

(2) In this section where appropriate "agency" includes a Minister.

[end quote]

You have stated this information is in your possession. Please generate the document and fulfill the request.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Charlie Schroeder

Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

Ref: FI/03/4130

Dear Mr Schroeder

I refer to your email in which you state:
Could I please receive reports or URL which supply the name of the local
government areas of Victoria and the number of ATCW's [cull permits]
requested and issued in each of these, for all species of kangaroos for
the years: 2013 - 2014 - 2015.
From this URL:
[1]http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/c...

Under the Freedom of Information Act 1982, a person seeking access to
documents is required to pay an application fee unless payment of the
application fee would cause the person financial hardship. The current
application fee is $27.20.

I note that you did not attach payment of the application fee. Please
complete and return the attached payment form or provide information about
how payment of the application fee would cause you financial hardship,
including evidence such as a copy of your healthcare card. Your request
will not be considered valid until you have done this.

You are welcome to contact me if you have any queries.

Yours sincerely

Arielle Perlow | Freedom of Information Officer|Legal Services Division
Corporate Services | Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning

From:        Charlie Schroeder
<[FOI #1788 email]>
To:        [email address],
Date:        01/04/2016 11:50 AM
Subject:        Re: Internal review of Freedom of Information request -
Number of ATCW's [cull permits] issued in local government areas.

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

Dear Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning - Victoria,

Could I please receive reports or URL which supply the name of the
local government areas of Victoria and the number of ATCW's [cull
permits] requested and issued in each of these, for all species of
kangaroos for the years: 2013 - 2014 - 2015.

From this URL:

[2]http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/c...

[quote]

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 1982 - SECT 19

Requests involving use of computers etc.
   (1)     Where—

(a)     a request is duly made to an agency;

(b)     it appears from the request that the desire of the applicant is
for information that is not available in discrete form in documents of the
agency; and

(c)     the agency could produce a written document containing the
information in discrete form by—

(i)     the use of a computer or other equipment that is ordinarily
available to the agency for retrieving or collating stored information; or

(ii)     the making of a transcript from a sound recording held in the
agency—

the agency shall deal with the request as if it were a request for access
to a written document so produced and containing that information and, for
that purpose, this Act applies as if the agency had such a document in its
possession.

(2)     In this section where appropriate "agency" includes a Minister.

[end quote]

You have stated this information is in your possession. Please generate
the document and fulfill the request.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Charlie Schroeder

show quoted sections

Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

1 Attachment

Ref: FI/03/4130

Dear Mr Schroeder

Please find the payment form attached.

Yours sincerely

Arielle Perlow | Freedom of Information Officer|Legal Services Division
Corporate Services | Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning

From:        Foi Unit/DSE/VICGOV1
To:        Charlie Schroeder
<[FOI #1788 email]>,
Date:        01/04/2016 12:15 PM
Subject:        Re: Internal review of Freedom of Information request -
Number of ATCW's [cull permits] issued in local government areas.
Sent by:        Arielle R Perlow

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

Ref: FI/03/4130

Dear Mr Schroeder

I refer to your email in which you state:
Could I please receive reports or URL which supply the name of the local
government areas of Victoria and the number of ATCW's [cull permits]
requested and issued in each of these, for all species of kangaroos for
the years: 2013 - 2014 - 2015.
From this URL:
[1]http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/c...

Under the Freedom of Information Act 1982, a person seeking access to
documents is required to pay an application fee unless payment of the
application fee would cause the person financial hardship. The current
application fee is $27.20.

I note that you did not attach payment of the application fee. Please
complete and return the attached payment form or provide information about
how payment of the application fee would cause you financial hardship,
including evidence such as a copy of your healthcare card. Your request
will not be considered valid until you have done this.

You are welcome to contact me if you have any queries.

Yours sincerely

Arielle Perlow | Freedom of Information Officer|Legal Services Division
Corporate Services | Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning

From:        Charlie Schroeder
<[FOI #1788 email]>
To:        [email address],
Date:        01/04/2016 11:50 AM
Subject:        Re: Internal review of Freedom of Information request -
Number of ATCW's [cull permits] issued in local government areas.

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

Dear Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning - Victoria,

Could I please receive reports or URL which supply the name of the
local government areas of Victoria and the number of ATCW's [cull
permits] requested and issued in each of these, for all species of
kangaroos for the years: 2013 - 2014 - 2015.

From this URL:

[2]http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/c...

[quote]

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 1982 - SECT 19

Requests involving use of computers etc.
   (1)     Where—

(a)     a request is duly made to an agency;

(b)     it appears from the request that the desire of the applicant is
for information that is not available in discrete form in documents of the
agency; and

(c)     the agency could produce a written document containing the
information in discrete form by—

(i)     the use of a computer or other equipment that is ordinarily
available to the agency for retrieving or collating stored information; or

(ii)     the making of a transcript from a sound recording held in the
agency—

the agency shall deal with the request as if it were a request for access
to a written document so produced and containing that information and, for
that purpose, this Act applies as if the agency had such a document in its
possession.

(2)     In this section where appropriate "agency" includes a Minister.

[end quote]

You have stated this information is in your possession. Please generate
the document and fulfill the request.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Charlie Schroeder

show quoted sections

Charlie Schroeder left an annotation ()

Awaiting a review of payment for this FOI request from: Office of the Freedom of Information Commissioner.

It has been requested that I pay money for something that should be open transparent and on the DELWP website. Being financially challenged is also a factor.

My hope is that the Commissioners office will see that this report, quickly retrieved with the technology used, should be made available without a payment.

Charlie Schroeder left an annotation ()

I requested the information in the first instance, with the total amount of ATWC's issued for Kangaroos in Victoria, and how many were killed in the various districts for 2013 - 2014 - 2015.

However, with the replies and money requested to pay for the FOI application and such. I left out that I wanted the amount of Kangaroos the permits allowed to be culled in Victoria LGA's in the second request.

My pensioner card had the cost for the request waived, but was informed a fee for access would be charged, when it was available.

Upon paying the fee requested for accessing, which I paid, after being informed by the FOI Commissioners office about the hoops that had to be jumped through if I wanted to challenge what was a reasonable fee for the information. Which I thought should have been in the public domain.

The DELWP, FOI section released the information of the first request in total.

They were in fact very helpful as it turned out, and it was very much appreciated. Especially being new to this process, I really had no idea just how to go about it all. Mea culpa.