parliamentary expense claims requests by AFP
Dear Department of Finance and Deregulation,
I seek documentation of requests by the AFP to the Department of Finance to investigation parliamentary expense claims.
Yours faithfully,
Luke Mansillo
Thank you for your email to the Freedom of Information section of the
Department of Finance and Deregulation. We have received your email and
will endeavour to respond to you as soon as possible.
You may view further information relating to Freedom of Information on the
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner’s [1]website.
[2]Signature blocks-blue bar.jpg
Freedom of Information
Legal and Strategic Support Branch
Department of Finance and Deregulation
References
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1. http://www.oaic.gov.au/foi-portal/about_...
UNCLASSIFIED
Dear Mr Mansillo,
Freedom of Information Request – FOI 13/132
Thank you for your email to the Department of Finance (Finance) for access
to the following documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI
Act).
... documentation of requests by the AFP to the Department of Finance to
investigation parliamentary expense claims.
The scope of your request appears to not yet meet the requirements under
s15 of the FOI Act to be considered a valid FOI request.
Valid FOI request
Before being considered a valid FOI request, sufficient information is
required to reasonably enable the responsible officer to identify the
relevant document/s. While it is not altogether clear, it would appear
that you are seeking documents that are referrals from the AFP to Finance
containing complaints made to the AFP about potential misuse of
parliamentary entitlements. You have also not indicated a timeframe for
the documents. Is it the case that you seek documents in relation to the
recent media about potential misuse of parliamentary entitlements or did
were you seeking documents that may exist over a period of years?
Would you please confirm whether your request is for “documents that are
referrals from the AFP to Finance in relation to third parties who have
raised concerns with the AFP about potential misuse of parliamentary
entitlements” and that you seek such documents “for the period from the
date of the recent federal election i.e. from 7 September 2013.”
Further, in order to minimise the need for third party consultation (and
so minimise charges), we seek your agreement to exclude, from the scope of
your FOI request, the names and personal details of members of the public
that may be included in any referrals from the AFP to Finance.
Timeframe
The statutory period for processing your request commences from the day
after Finance receives a valid FOI request.
Policy to exclude junior departmental officer contact details
Finance has adopted a policy to generally exclude the names and contact
details of junior staff (non-SES officers) from any documents released
under FOI. Finance’s preference is to reach agreement with FOI applicants
to exclude these details from the scope of the request. If you do not
object to this approach, the names and contact details of junior officers
will be redacted under section 22 of the FOI Act, on the basis that these
details are irrelevant to the request.
Way forward
Would you please clarify the scope of your request to constitute a valid
FOI request.
Please contact the FOI Team on the below contact details if you wish to
discuss your request.
Regards,
[1]Department of Finance and Deregulation
FOI Team
Legal and Strategic Support Branch
Department of Finance
T: 02 6215 1783 E: [Finance request email]
UNCLASSIFIED
References
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Dear FOI Requests,
I would like to confirm I am requesting parliamentary expense complaints from the 7 September 2013 which the AFP has referred to the department of finance.
Yours sincerely,
Luke Mansillo
UNCLASSIFIED
Good Afternoon Mr Mansillo,
Thank you for clarifying the scope of your request. Could you also confirm whether you agree to excluding, from the scope of your request, the personal details of members of the public. This will minimise the need for third party consultation (and so minimise charges).
Please confirm by COB 21 November 2013, that you agree to exclude personal details of members of the public that may be included in any referrals from the AFP to Finance. If no response is received, Finance will calculate charges based on the full scope.
Regards,
FOI Officer
Legal and Strategic Support Branch
Department of Finance
T: 02 6215 1783 E: [email address]
Dear FOI Requests,
Yes, I would like the names of members of the public excluded from the documents.
Yours sincerely,
Luke Mansillo
Thank you for your email to the Freedom of Information section of the
Department of Finance and Deregulation. We have received your email and
will endeavour to respond to you as soon as possible.
You may view further information relating to Freedom of Information on the
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner’s [1]website.
[2]Signature blocks-blue bar.jpg
Freedom of Information
Legal and Strategic Support Branch
Department of Finance
References
Visible links
1. http://www.oaic.gov.au/foi-portal/about_...
UNCLASSIFIED
Good Afternoon Mr Mansillo,
Please see attached correspondence in regards to your FOI request (our
reference number FOI13/132).
Regards, Kira
[1]Department of Finance and Deregulation
FOI Officer
Legal and Strategic Support Branch
Department of Finance
T: 02 6215 1783 E: [email address]
UNCLASSIFIED
References
Visible links
UNCLASSIFIED
Dear Mr Mansillo
Freedom of Information Request – FOI13/132
Thank you for your email, dated 19 October 2013, to the Department of
Finance (Finance) requesting access to the following under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).
documentation of requests by the AFP to the Department of Finance to
investigation parliamentary expense claims
In a letter of 26 November 2013 Finance provided you with an estimate of
charges for processing your request. The letter indicated that within 30
days of the date of the letter, you were required to pay the charges or
otherwise contact Finance regarding the processing of your request,
otherwise your request would be deemed withdrawn.
As Finance has not received a response from you within the timeframe
indicated, your request is now deemed withdrawn as prescribed by section
29(2) of the FOI Act.
Please contact the Finance FOI Team, on the below details, if you have any
queries regarding this request.
Chak
[1]Signature blocks-blue bar.jpg
FOI Officer
Legal and Strategic Support Branch
Department of Finance
T: 02 6215 1783 | E: [2][Finance request email]
UNCLASSIFIED
References
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2. mailto:[Finance request email]
Henare Degan left an annotation ()
I probably don't need to tell you Luke but it's always worth asking for charges to be waived.