FOI disclosure log

The Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman is required by s 11C of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) to publish a disclosure log on its website. The disclosure log lists information which has been released in response to an FOI access request. This requirement has applied since 1 May 2011. The disclosure log is found below.

The disclosure log requirement does not apply to:

  • personal information about any person if publication of that information would be 'unreasonable'
  • information about the business, commercial, financial or professional affairs of any person if publication of that information would be 'unreasonable'
  • other information covered by a determination made by the Ombudsman if publication of that information would be 'unreasonable'
  • any information if it is not reasonably practicable to publish the information because of the extent of modifications that would need to be made to delete the information listed in the above dot points.

The information described in the disclosure log table below has been released by the Ombudsman under the FOI Act and is available for public access.

A link is provided if the information can be downloaded from this website or another website.

Information that is not available online may be obtained by emailing us at ombudsman@ombudsman.gov.au or writing to us at GPO Box 442, CANBERRA ACT 2601. A charge may be imposed to reimburse the office for the cost incurred in copying or reproducing the information or sending it to you. There will be no charge for the time spent by the office in processing the FOI request that led to this information being made available. You will be notified if any charge is payable and required to pay the charge before the information is provided.

There may be documents in the disclosure log that are currently not available in PDF format. If you are unable to read the format provided please contact us for an alternative format. We will try to meet all reasonable requests for an alternative format of the document in a timely manner and at the lowest reasonable cost to you.

Information attached to, or referred to, in the office's disclosure log will generally be removed after 12 months, unless the information has enduring public value.

Notes

  • Most FOI requests to the Ombudsman are made by individuals in relation to their complaint file. Generally, these releases do not meet the criteria for public release in this disclosure log.
  • A document published on the disclosure log may be an edited version of the document originally provided to an applicant because of an exception in s 11C(1) of the FOI Act.

The FOI Act also requires the Ombudsman to proactively publish a range of information under the Information Publication Scheme (IPS). The Ombudsman's IPS entry can be found under Information Publication Scheme.

Information about making an FOI request, in relation to information held by the office, can be found under Audit. risk & FOI.

FOI Reference number

Date of access

FOI request

Information published

Other information

FOI-2024-100131 May 2024

The time period of the request is 1 July 2023 to 31 December 2023:

  1. Any emails or other communications (eg. meeting invitations/speeches/ videos/transcripts/memorandums/revised chief executive instructions or equivalent) directed at all staff about either the Royal Commission on the Robo-debt Scheme (‘the Royal Commission’), or the government response to the Royal Commission.
  2. Any emails or other communications (eg. meeting invitations/speeches/ videos/transcripts/memorandums/revised chief executive instructions or equivalent) directed at all SES (or equivalent) staff about the Royal Commission on the Robo-debt Scheme, or the government response to the Royal Commission.
  3. Any brief prepared for Senate estimates in October 2023 relating to how the agency was responding to the Royal Commission or the government response to the Royal Commission.
  4. Any brief, agenda paper, submission (or similar) to the agency’s executive leadership group/senior leadership group (or however named in your agency) about how the agency was responding to the Royal Commission or implementing the government response to the Royal Commission.
  5. Any document relating to changing training modules/induction (or similar) (whether internally or externally delivered), to incorporate information about the Royal Commission or the government response to the Royal Commission.


    The following are excluded from the request:
  6. Any document that solely deals with adverse findings relating to individual members of staff of that agency.
Please contact information.access@ombudsman.gov.au for access to this material

31 documents identified as within scope. 6 documents released in full, 24 document released in part and refused access to 1 document.

Exemptions claimed under s47F, 47E, 47, 47C and 22

FOI-2024-1004030 April 2024The Commonwealth Ombudsman’s submission to the Cornall review, dated 29 January 2020, referred to on page 54 of the Cornall report.FOI-2024-10040 
FOI-2024-1000119 February 2024…. 1. how the Ombudsman will handle the complaints to the other federal government agencies,
2. How to define a complaint as a complex one,
3. how the complex complaint will be assigned to an Ombudsman Officer,
4. what is the quality standard to be achieved for dealing with a complex complaint on a federal government agency (e.g. email and phone communication response time requirement, recording requirement, discussion outcome verification, etc.),
5. how to deal with unknown professional issues (e.g. engineering, medical, etc.)
6. whether there is a requirement to consult with relevant professional authorities before making a decision, how to deal with reported potential law violation issues (e.g. is there a mandatory requirement to investigate these issues as long as relevant law sections/subsections are quoted in the report.),
7. Ombudsman Office's manager review procedure (in particular, what are the criteria for the manager to decline the review request.), the procedure about how the ombudsman will recommend the customer to the other resolutions if the complaint cannot be dealt with by your office.
FOI-2024-1000113 documents located and released in part. Exemptions claimed under s 47
FOI-2023-1011629 January 2024
  1. Current (i.e. active and endorsed) gender affirmation policies for your department/agency’s staff (i.e. policies outlining the process by which transgender or non-binary staff can affirm their chosen gender identity at work);
  2. Current (i.e. active and endorsed) gender affirmation leave policies for your department/agency’s staff (i.e. policies establishing the process and types of leave which transgender or non-binary staff can access for transition related purposes).
  3. If active and endorsed policies for items 1 and/or 2 do not exist, I am requesting any draft policies your department/agency is working on.
FOI-2023-10116 - Document 11 document located and released in full.
FOI-2023-1011916 January 2024I request access to the Style Guides/Brand Guides/Writing Guides currently used for the Commonwealth Ombudsman.FOI-2023-10119 - document 113 documents released in full. 5 in part. Exemptions claimed under s 47F
FOI-2023-100823 November 2023Any emails or other communications (eg. meeting invitations/speeches/memorandums/revised chief executive instructions or equivalent) directed at all staff about the Royal Commission on the Robo-debt Scheme send between 1 July 2023 and 21 August 2023
Any emails or other communications (eg. meeting invitations/speeches/memorandums/revised chief executive instructions or equivalent) directed at all SES (or equivalent) staff about the Royal Commission on the Robo-debt Scheme send between 1 July 2023 and 20 August 2023
Please contact information.access@ombudsman.gov.au for access to this material13 documents idenified as within scope. 3 documents released in full and 10 in part. Exemptions claimed under s 47F, 47E, 47, 47C and 22
FOI-2023-1008527 October 20231. Copy of the statement of Richard Glenn dated 22/2/23 given to the Commission.
2. Copy of the statement of Iain Anderson dated 22/2/23 given to the Commission.
3. Copy of the statement of Louise McLeod dated 22/2/23 given to the Commission.
4. Copy of the statement of Michael Manthorpe dated 27/2/23 given to the Commission.
5. Copy of the final statement of Richard Glenn dated 4/6/23 given to the Commission.
6. Copies of information regarding CO’s position that current and former officers could not be compelled to give evidence to the Commission, including any legal advice received and the cost of that advice.
7. Copies of policies/procedures/guidelines describing the threshold requirement(s) warranting own motion investigation under s5(1)(b) of the Ombudsman Act.
8. Copy of CO’s final 2017 own motion investigation report into the Scheme.
9. Copies of all requests for information made by CO/delegate to the department of human services (DHS) in connection with the 2017 own motion investigation.
10. Copies of external legal advice CO sought/received regarding the 2017 own motion investigation, including copy or copies of s23 of the PGPA Act 2013 (rule 18) approvals sought by CO/delegate to spend the amount for the own motion investigation.
11. Copy of 2019 Implementation Report (including its draft) prepared by CO and provided to DHS.
12. Copies of information showing the time and cost of Iain Anderson’s attendance before the Commission, including his diary entries (both manual and electronic) showing dates of his attendance.
FOI-2023-10085 - document 1 (Part 1)
FOI-2023-10085 - document 1 (Part 2)
FOI-2023-10085 - document 1 (Part 3)
53 documents identified as falling within scope. Access refused to 43 documents. 8 documents released in part and 8 documents released in full. Exemption claims- ss 37, 42, 47C, 34, 47E, 47F
FOI-2023-100935 October 2023

1. Information relating to how the Cwth Ombudsman office recognises an employees prior service and their subsequent long service entitlement when the calculation under s.18 Cwth LSL Act 1976, results in a negative number or negative credit.

2. Information on allowing an employee not to have their prior service recognised if the calculation under s.18 of the LSL Act results in a negative credit/numer. FOI-2023-10093 - document 1

FOI-2023-10093 - document 1
FOI-2023-1004620 September 2023Under the FOI Act I would like access to the original freedom of information requests received by the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman that are, as at 19 April 2023, the subjects of applications for Information Commissioner review (e.g. if 10 of the FOI requests that the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman has received are subjects of applications for IC review as at 19 April 2023, then please provide those 10 FOI requests).FOI-2023-10046 - document 1 
FOI-2023-1004811 July 2023Under the FOI Act I request access to documents in the possession of the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman relating to Iain Anderson’s appointment as Commonwealth Ombudsman.FOI-2023-10048 - document 1Six documents identified as being within scope. Access to three documents in full and three in part.
FOI-2023-1003817 May 2023I am making a FOI request on reports or other documents that includes the total number of complaints that have been filed to this office in 2022, 2021, and 2020, and how many have resulted in an "investigation" of the complaint with this office providing advice or a recommendation on what the offending entity should do to resolve the matter amd statistics on what happened to the rest (information such as: closed without investigation, dropped by the complainant before decision, etc.)
I only need one document that includes each year's statistics.
FOI-2023-10038 - document 1 
FOI-2022-1014318 April 2023* I am seeking access to legal advice received from AGS or other law firms which relate to the establishment of the Defence Force Ombudsman, particularly reg 14A(1)(b) of the Ombudsman Regulations 2017 (Cth) and the phrase ‘most serious forms of abuse;’
* I request access to any Standard Operating Procedures, Policies or Procedures, however described, that govern the delegate’s application of that criteria and provision and making of recommendations or decisions.
FOI-2022-10143 - document 1
FOI-2022-10143 - document 2
FOI-2022-10143 - document 3
Eight documents identified as being within scope. Access refused in relation to five documents under s 47E of the FOI Act. Three documents released in full.
FOI-2023-1002322 March 2023‘I request access to the records of the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman’s expenditures for the 2021-2022 financial yearFOI-2023-10023 - document 1One document located and released in full.
FOI-2022-1008016 December 2022“…documents that set out:
a) the position description for the Director of the Legal Team (howsoever described) in the
Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman; and
b) the responsibilities and duties of the Director of the Legal Team (howsoever described) in
the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman to the extent they are not covered in the
position description documents.”
FOI-2022-10080 - document 1Two documents located. One released in full, one released in part.
FOI-2022-101251 December 2022“I request access under the freedom of information act to the operational information (ie.
internal flowcharts and staff guidance about the operating procedure) for both:
‐ the complaint handling process as to the conduct of Commonwealth agencies
‐ the internal review process as to the decisions by the Commonwealth Ombudsman”
FOI-2022-10125- document 1 
FOI-2022-1011424 November 2022” a) administrative documents, which were relevant during 1 January 2020 – 30 June 2022;
and/or
b) operational documents not published on the Department's website, and which were
relevant during 1 January 2020 – 30 June 2022,
on how sanction decisions for contraventions of the Code of Conduct, set out in the Public
Service Act 1999 (Cth), were or are or should be applied.
To clarify, I am not asking you for any documents that record actual sanction decisions
against Commonwealth employees. The scope of administrative and/or operational
documents should be understood to extend to manuals, guidelines, procedures, checklists,
circulars and other documents that set out how sanction decisions for contraventions of the
Code of Conduct were, or are, or should be, applied by sanction decision makers in the
course of a Code of Conduct investigation.”
FOI-2022-10114 - document 1One document located and link provided.
FOI-2022-1008413 October 2022I would like to make a request under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) for the following
documentation:
(1) documentation relating to complaints made regarding act of grace payments made under the Public
Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act) s 65 in terms of:
- the number of complaints annually since 2015; and
- the outcome of those complaints.
FOI-2022-10084 - document 1 
FOI-2022-100969 September 2022Under the FOI Act, I would like access to documents setting out the number of:
a) active (i.e. unresolved) category 4 approaches for complaints about inadequately
investigated public interest disclosures at the date of this request; and
b) active (i.e. unresolved) category 5 approaches for complaints about inadequately
investigated public interest disclosures at the date of this request.
If it makes things easier for the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman, you are:
a) invited to, pursuant to s 17 of the FOI Act, compile a document setting out each of the
numbers of category 4 and category 5 approaches; or
b) provide a document, pursuant to the administrative release options available, with each of
the numbers of category 4 and category 5 approaches.
To be clear, I do not want a total number of active category 4 and 5 requests. I want the
number of active category 4 requests for complaints about inadequately investigated public
interest disclosures at the date of this request and, separately, I want the number of active
category 5 requests for complaints about inadequately investigated public interest disclosures
at the date of this request.
FOI-2022-10096 - document 1 
FOI-2022-100899 September 2022Under the FOI Act, I would like access to documents setting out the number of:
a) active category 4 approaches at the date of this request; and
b) active category 5 approaches at the date of this request.
If it makes things easier for the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman, you are:
a) invited to, pursuant to s 17 of the FOI Act, compile a document setting out each of the
numbers of category 4 and category 5 approaches; or
b) provide a document, pursuant to the administrative release options available, with each of
the numbers of category 4 and category 5 approaches.
To be clear, I do not want a total number of active category 4 and 5 requests. I want the
number of active category 4 requests and, separately, I want the number of active category 5
requests.
FOI-2022-10089  - document 1 
FOI-2022-1006811 July 2022“…Please provide an email PDF copy of the "March 2022" work practices manual (either the completed
copy or the present draft). Additionally, please provide copies of any other guidelines or work instructions
(separate from the WPG) on how to respond to complaints from people with mental illnesses…”
FOI-2022-10068 - document 1
FOI-2022-10068 - document 2
FOI-2022-10068 - document 3
FOI-2022-10068 - document 4
FOI-2022-10068 - document 5
FOI-2022-10068 - document 6
Six documents identified as being within scope. Partial access provided to all six documents.
FOI-2022-100465 May 2022‘…Under the FOI Act, but for access to the Agency Guide to the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 (version 2), I request access to any and all documents held by the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman that set out:
a) how investigations of suspected offences (generally) are to be investigated internally (that is, in the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman);
b) how investigations of contraventions of s 65 of the PID Act are to be investigated internally (that is, in the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman);
c) how referrals to investigative bodies other than the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman are to be made if a person is suspected of contravening s 65 of the PID Act; and
d) anything about the referral of suspected offences under s 65 of the PID Act are to made from an investigative body to a prosecutorial body….’
FOI-2022-10046 - chapter 7
FOI-2022-10046 - chapter 10
Three documents identified as being within scope. Document 1 exempt under s 37(2)(b). Remaining two documents released.
FOI-2022-100424 May 2022‘…the most up to date version of the Commonwealth Ombudsman's Work Practices Manual for complaint management…’FOI-2022-10042One document located and released in full.
FOI-2022-1004327 April 2022

a)      The Commonwealth Ombudsman Human Resources Delegation instrument referred to in Attachment A of Mr Parkhurst’s letter of decision dated 28 March 2022 (Reference FOI-2022-10031); and

b)      The Commonwealth Ombudsman Recruitment and Selection Guidelines November 2018 referred to in Attachment A of Mr Parkhurst’s letter of decision dated 28 March 2022 (Reference FOI-2022-10031).

FOI-2022-10043 – Document 1No exemptions or deletions were applied to the requested documents.
FOI-2022-1002231 March 2022

a)      the written document (or documents) setting out the contract associated with CN3754388, so that I can determine what services were provided by the supplier;

b)      any purchase orders associated with CN3754388;

c)      any invoices issued by the supplier with respect to CN3754388;

d)      any and all documents setting out the scope of the role of this contractor (including what duties they had to perform, performance indicators etc.);

e)     the APS role evaluation summary record (the template of this summary record can be found on pages 3 – 5 of the “Australian Public Service Role evaluation tool”, which is available for download at https://www.apsc.gov.au/working-aps/aps-employees-and-managers/classifications/aps-role-evaluation-guidance-and-tool) for the “equivalent” Executive Level 1 Assistant Director role that was the comparative basis of the contractor’s role; and

f)      to the extent that it is not covered by (d) and (e), any and all documents setting out the ‘research’ (e.g. interviews with other staff, analysis of similar roles in other agencies, analysis of going market rates in relation to the work to be performed by the contractor etc.) undertaken by OCO staff to determine the proper scope of the role of the contractor.

FOI-2022-10022 - Document 1Access granted in part to Document 1,2 and 3. Redactions were made to the documents under s 47F of the FOI Act. Documents 4-41 were exempted in full from disclosure under s 47G(1)(a).
FOI-2022-1001230 March 2022

a)      the written document (or documents) setting out the contract associated with CN3722705-A1 (and CN3722705), so that I can determine what services were provided by adaptbl legal, and what was requested by the OCO;

b)      any purchase orders associated with CN3722705-A1 (and CN3722705);

c)      any invoices issued by the supplier with respect to CN37122705-A1 (and CN3722705);

d)      any and all documents setting out the scope of the role of this contractor (including what duties they had to perform, performance indicators etc.);

e)      any and all documents setting out the ‘research’ (e.g. interviews with other staff, analysis of similar roles in other agencies, analysis of going market rates in relation to the work to be performed by the contractor etc.) undertaken by OCO staff to determine the proper scope of the role of the contractor.

FOI-2022-10012 - Document 1Access was granted in part to documents 1,2,3,4,22 and 23.
Redactions to parts of these documents were made under s 47G(1)(a) of the FOI Act and s 47F of the FOI Act.
Documents 6-21 were exempted in full from disclosure under s 47G(1)(a).
FOI-2022-1003128 March 2022

‘…I request access to any documents held by the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman that set out how it is that positions/roles in the Office may be classified over more than one classification depending on the complexity of the group of duties to be performed, and where one of those classifications in an SES classification…’

FOI-2022-10031 – Document 01Document 1 is a publicly available document. Irrelevant material has been redacted from Documents 2 and 3, under s 22 of the FOI Act.
FOI-2022-1001314 February 2022“Other than the Work Practice Manual for complaint management (January 2019)
or the Agency Guide to the PID Act (Version 2), I request access to any operational
or administrative documents that set out how approaches about inadequately
investigated internal disclosures under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 are
handled by the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman.”
FOI-2022-10013 - Document 1One document located and redacted version released
FOI-2022-1000910 February 2022‘…any documents contained within Ms Julia Taylor’s email account from 1 January 2021 onwards containing the term/name “John Lloyd” or the term “Public Service Commissioner”…’FOI-2021-10009 – Document 1Partial access was granted to the released documents. Redactions were made under s 42, s 47E and s 47F of the FOI Act. The attachment to documents 7 and 10 were exempted in full from disclosure under s 42.
FOI-2021-101384 February 2022‘…2) A document naming all relevant persons, agencies or corruption authorities in any state or territory of Australia with power to conduct audits of the kind described in FOI scope 1, under the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979, if this power is beyond the parameters of audits conducted by the Commonwealth Ombudsman…’FOI-2021-10138 – Document 1Full access was granted to the released document.
FOI-2021-1012222 December 2021‘…any document contained within Ms Penny McKay’s OCO email account, dated from 15 November 2020 onwards, containing the term “righttoknow”…’FOI-2021-10122-Document 1Partial access was granted to the requested documents. Redactions to the requested documents were made under s 42, s 47E and s 47F of the FOI Act.
FOI-2021-100786 December 2021
  1. The Commonwealth Ombudsman’s submission document to the AWEI scheme;
  2. Data collated by the Commonwealth Ombudsman for provision to Pride in Diversity and AWEI scheme;
  3. Results of AWEI employee survey conducted by the Commonwealth Ombudsman on Commonwealth Ombudsman employees;
  4. Invoices to ACON and Pride in Diversity
FOI-2021-10078 – Document 1Partial access was granted to the to the released documents. Redactions were made to the released documents under s 47F of the FOI Act.
FOI-2021-100772 December 2021
  1. Commonwealth Ombudsman's submission document to the AWEI scheme;
  2. Data collated by the Commonwealth Ombudsman for provision to Pride in Diversity and AWEI scheme;
  3. Results of AWEI employee survey conducted by Commonwealth Ombudsman on Commonwealth Ombudsman employees;
  4. Invoices paid to ACON and Pride in Diversity.
FOI-2021-10077 – Document 1

Partial access was granted to the to the released documents. Redactions were made to the released documents under s 47F of the FOI Act.

FOI-2021-1010315 November 2021‘…The number of open complaints held by CME Branch at close of business (COB) 31 December 2020.
The number of complaints received by CME Branch from January to September 2021 inclusive.
The number of open complaints held by CME Branch at COB 30 September 2021.
Staff FTE by classification for CME Branch from January to September 2021 inclusive.
A list and the subject matter and duration of all formal administrative law training or education provided to CME Branch members from 1 January to 30 September 2021 inclusive including numbers attending. This does not include on-the-job training.
A list and the subject matter and duration of all formal complaint handling training or education provided to CME Branch members from 1 January to 30 September 2021 inclusive including numbers attending. This does not include on-the-job training.
The same information for Ombudsman sponsored cultural and social awareness activities in CME Branch for the same period.
The number of FTE at APS 5 and above who ceased employment in CME Branch from 1 January to 30 September 2021 (inclusive) and the same information for the period 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020…’
FOI-2021-10103 – Document 1The Ombudsman’s Office created a document for the purpose of responding to the applicant’s request. Full access was granted to this document.
A search of the Ombudsman’s records did not identify any documents containing information about the duration of ‘…cultural and social awareness activities…’ during the period specified by the applicant.
FOI-2021-1000629 April 2021

1   In regards to your statement:
“As I consulted a third party under s 27 and 27A of the FOI Act, the timeframe for processing your request was extended by 30 days.”
Under FOI legislation, please supply any correspondence dealing with this consultation.

2   In regards to the supplied documents, please account for the 42 day period between the 11.August 2020, document 02 and the 22.September 2020, document 03. 
Please search for any entries in your files for other emails and transcripts of telephone conversations.

FOI-2021-10006 – Document 1

Partial access was granted to the released material. Redactions were made to the released material under s 47F of the FOI Act.

FOI-2021-3000622 April 2021all documents relating or referring to or recording the circumstances or considerations to which the Ombudsman or his or her delegates or agents has regard or may have regard in determining whether to exercise the power under section 10 of the Ombudsman Act 1976 (Cth).FOI-2021-30006 - Document 1Partial access was granted to the released material. Redactions were made to the released material under s 47E and s 47F of the FOI Act.
The applicant was also referred to the Ombudsman’s Work Practices Manual (page 75) and the Ombudsman’s Delegations under the Ombudsman Act 1976 available at: Information publication scheme - Commonwealth Ombudsman
FOI-2020-1009512 April 2021‘…a copy of records of usage of this MAA facility…’FOI-2020-10095-Document 1Partial access was granted to the requested material. Redactions were made to the requested material under ss 33, 47, 47E, 47F and 47G of the FOI Act. Irrelevant material was deleted under s 22 of the FOI Act.
FOI-2021-1001016 March 2021‘…During your investigation into…DFRDB…did you investigate the existence and content of Defence Instructions issued under the Authority of the Defence Act 1903…’FOI-2021-10010 - Document 1Full access was granted to the released documents.
FOI-2020-10085FOI-2020-10085‘…any documents contained within Michael Manthorpe’s email account containing the word ‘Knaus’…’FOI-2020-10085 –Document 1Two documents were disclosed in full. Eight documents were exempted in full from disclosure under s 47and s 47G of the FOI Act. Redactions were made to the remaining documents under s 47E and s 47F of the FOI Act.
FOI-2020-1004213 October 2020Complainant Satisfaction Survey Final Report and related documents such as the Ombudsman’s instructions and information provided to CSBA.FOI-2020-10042 – Document 1Full access was granted to the released document.
FOI-2020-1006415 October 2020

- A document that contains the position titles of officers who were non-ongoing or receiving high duties at any time in the last month

- The job advertisement or expression of interest used to appoint officers in non-ongoing positions or on higher duties.

FOI-2020-10064 – Document 1Partial access was granted to the requested documents. Redactions were made to the released documents under s 47E and s 47F of the FOI Act.
FOI 2020-1003918 August 2020Records of complaints against Border Force alleging improper or unprofessionally conducted searches or questioning of people based on racial grounds or national origin. I would like records for 2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019, 2019-2020 and 2020 to date, with accompanying details of the alleged racial profiling or misconduct in each case.FOI 2020-10039 – Document 1 
FOI 2020-1000511 May 2020

Request for access to material concerning the Ombudsman's DFRDB report.

'...a copy of the Terms of Reference provided by the Ombudsman to the AG and KPMG to carry out financial modelling...'

FOI 2020-10005 Document 1Partial access was granted to the requested material. Redactions were made to the requested material under s 22 of the FOI Act. For further information See attached:
FOI 2020-10005 Document 2
FOI 2020-300016 April 2020Documents concerning ‘…the role and powers of the Commonwealth Ombudsman… in the Indo-Pacific region, and the agreements with the Ombudsman offices of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and the Samoa Audit Office and the Solomon Islands and Leadership Code Commission…’FOI 2020-30001 Document 1Partial access was granted to the requested documents. Redactions were made to the requested documents under s 33, s 47E and s 47F of the FOI Act.
FOI 2019-3000910 October 2019

1. The organization chart or equivalent showing names and positions of officers assigned to deal with complaints made to you; showing the hierarchy; showing the length of service with your organization for each person; showing any grouping of teams in the Division.

2. Provide copies of all delegation of work assignments (existing and current) in the Complaint Division headed by Ms. L. Macleod.  

FOI 2019-30009 Document 1

FOI 2019-3009 Statement under s 11C of the FOI Act

Partial access was granted to the requested documents. Redactions were made to the requested documents under s 47E and s 47F of the FOI Act.

FOI 2019-3001129 October 2019‘…Documents pertaining to internal policy in association with record keeping by the Commonwealth Ombudsman (CO) and complaints including but not exclusively limited to telephony recording by the CO, and complaints, and associated provisional legislation. ..’FOI 2019-30011 Document 1Full access was granted to the released document.
FOI 2019-500148 July 2019

1. "Any notice of a technical capability notice given to the Commonwealth Ombudsman under section 317TAB of the Telecommunications Act."

2. "Any notice of a technical assistance notice given to the Commonwealth Ombudsman under section 317MAB of the Telecommunications Act."

3. "Any notice of a technical assistance request given to the Commonwealth Ombudsman under section 317HAB of the Telecommunications Act."
FOI 2019-50014 Document 1Partial access was granted to the requested documents. Redactions were made to the requested documents under s 47E of the FOI Act.
FOI 2019-1003222 August 2019‘…documents concerning Chauka Compound, a “managed accommodation area”, claimed to be an area of mistreatment of detainees on Manus...generated by or in the possession of the Ombudsman…’FOI 2019-10032 Document 1Partial access was granted to the requested documents. Redactions were made to the requested documents under s 22 and s 33 of the FOI Act.
FOI 2019-100073 may 2019‘…all complaints made against the OAIC around time taken to look at their complaints for the last 3 years…’FOI 2019-10007 Document 1Full access was granted to this document.
FOI 2019-6000315 February 2019

‘…‘…All correspondence and other documents held by the Commonwealth Ombudsman in relation to: (a) the Ombudsman's investigation into the processing of asylum seekers on SIEV Lambeth in April 2013, or similar investigations; (b) the DIBP of Immigration's (DIBP) investigation/s into the processing of asylum seekers who arrived by boat, including investigations by external agencies contracted by the DIBP, and any subsequent reports (including the reports themselves); and (c) the application of s 46A of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth) to asylum seekers arriving by boat in Australia…’

…’

FOI 2019-60003 Document 1

Certain documents were exempted in full from disclosure under s 47C of the FOI Act.

Partial access was granted to the remaining material.   Redactions were made under ss 42, 47C, 47E and 47F of the FOI Act.

FOI 2018-600052 November 2018

Information

‘… regarding interpretation of the relevant sections of the DFRB and DFRDB Acts and the contention that the ADF does not have the authority to prevent the CSC from assessing the application to determine whether the member should have been medically discharged…’

Excluding ‘… complaints made by other people unless the complaint specifically related to interpretation of the legislation…’

FOI 2018-60005 Document 1Full access was granted to this document
FOI 2018-5014222 October 2018‘…Has the Ombudsman Office ever been the subject of an Audit by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO)?…’

FOI 2018-50142 Document 1

Full access was granted to this document.
FOI 2018-3002117 October 2018‘…all documents relating or addressed to or associated with the Office of the Immigration Ombudsman pertaining to the Regional Processing Centre Complaints Handling Standard Operating Procedure… apart from the Procedure itself…’FOI 2018-30021 Document 1Partial access was granted to this document. Irrelevant material was deleted under s 22 of the FOI Act. Redactions were made under s 33 of the FOI Act.
FOI 2018-501322 October 2018

information on the following:

...Can you please advise the name of your current FMIS and, if possible, when the current system was adopted/implemented.

* Electronic Document and Records Management System (EDRMS)… FOR BOTH: If your agency uses multiple systems, can you please just report for FMIS and EDRMS the system that is predominantly used in your agency.... '

FOI 2018-50132 Document 1 
FOI 2018-5005016 May 2018

‘…the document(s) that relate to your investigation into the "Tourist Refund Scheme"… up to the final outcome…’

FOI 2018-50050 Document 1

Partial access was granted to the requested material on the basis of exemptions under  s 22, s 42, s 47C, s 47E(c), s 47E(d) and s 47F of the FOI Act.

Some documents were exempted in full under s 47C of the FOI Act.

FOI-2018-500416 April 2018
  1. Information regarding VET institutions (a) fraudulently providing visa status for international students working in the sex industry between March 2012 and March 2018 and (b) suspected financial links between VET institutions and the sex industry between March 2012 and March 2018.
  2. All Overseas Student Ombudsman briefs and or other reports relating to VET institutions links with the sex industry between March 2012 and March 2018…’
FOI 2018-50041 Document 1Partial access was granted to this document. Irrelevant material was deleted under s 22 of the FOI Act.
FOI 2018-5003521 March 2018Any policy…of the Commonwealth Ombudsman regarding the provision of documents…to the member of the public who has made the complaint.FOI 2018-50035 Document 1Partial access was granted to this document on the basis of conditional exemptions under s 47E(c), s 47E(d) and s 47F of the FOI Act.
FOI 2018-5001928 February 2018Information concerning salaries paid to SES officers for the years 2014‑15, 2015‑16, 2016‑17FOI 2018-50019 Document 1Full access was granted to this document
2018-5000611/01/2018Information concerning the number of approaches received by the Commonwealth Ombudsman about Comcare ‘…with respect to the years 2010 to 2013…’FOI 2018-50006 Document 1Full access was granted to this document.
2012-10557503/04/2012

A request for access to the:

  • Ombudsman office's guidelines on the use of information technology and internet services current as at August 2005 and/or March 2010;
  • Ombudsman office's email management policy 'no. 8/2008' current as at March 2010; and
  • Ombudsman office's 'Staff ICT Guidelines', endorsed on 25 August 2009.
2012-105575 FOI document 1

2012-105575 FOI document 2-1

2012-105575 FOI document 2-2

2012-105575 FOI document 3

  • Full access was granted in relation to two documents;
  • partial access was granted in relation to the other document on the basis of conditional exemptions under s 47E(d) of the FOI Act. The exempt matter was deleted under s 22 of the FOI Act.
2012-11122117/07/2012A request for various documents relating to the 2008 and 2009 Commonwealth Ombudsman Office Christmas parties.2012-111221 FOI document 9Only one of the nine documents to which access was granted has been published on the disclosure log.
2012-11553414/09/2012A request for a draft version of the Ombudsman.s Annual Report for 2010-11.Copies of this document can be requested by calling 1300 362 072 or via email sent to ombudsman@ombudsman.gov.auFull access was granted to this document.
2012-11698727/09/2012A request for access to documents relating to the appointment of Dr Vivienne Thom as Acting Ombudsman in 2010.2012-116987 FOI documentLarge amounts of information were deleted from the documents on the ground of irrelevance.
FOI-2013-1003327 November 2013A request for access to the unabridged report of the Ombudsman No 17/2007.FOI-2013-10033 FOI documentOnly partial access to the document was granted. Information was exempted on the grounds contained in s 45, 47E and 47C of the Freedom of Information Act 1982.
FOI 2014-1000614/02/2014A request for access to: '...copies of the Certificates of Compliance that the Department of Finance...received from the Commonwealth Ombudsman...for the financial years 2009 2010 and 2011...'FOI 2014-10006 Document 1Full access was granted in relation to all three documents.
FOI 2014-1000817/02/2014A request for access to:
  • Also under FOI please supply me with the number of Investigations done by the Commonwealth Ombudsman in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Please also supply me under FOI the number of referrals under Section 15  made in the financial years ending in 2010, 2011, 2012.
  • Also under FOI the number of investigations that were referred to the Australian Federal Police in 2010, 2011, 2012.
FOI 2014-10008 Document 1
  • Full access was granted in relation to all three Certificates of Compliance. The Certificates of Compliance for 2010, and 2011 were released to the same applicant in response to our reference FOI 2014-10006.
  • The applicant was referred to the relevant Ombudsmans annual report for the statistical information requested.
FOI 2014-1001724/04/2014A request for access to:FOI 2014-10017 Document 1
  • Full access was granted in relation to the document.
FOI 2014-5004822/01/2015A request for access to:FOI 2014-50048 Document 1
  • Partial access was granted to the requested document on the basis of conditional exemptions under s 47F of the FOI Act. The exempt matter was deleted under s 22 of the FOI Act.
FOI 2014-5004805/02/2015A request for access to:FOI 2014-50048 FOI Document 2
  • Partial access was granted to the requested document on the basis of conditional exemptions under s 47F of the FOI Act. The exempt matter was deleted under s 22 of the FOI Act.
FOI 2015-5001230/04/2015A request for access to:FOI 2015-50012 FOI Document 1
  • Partial access was granted to the requested document on the basis of conditional exemptions under s 47F of the FOI Act. The exempt matter was deleted under s 22 of the FOI Act. The remaining folios were released with no exemptions or deletions.
FOI 2015-5002425/05/2015A request for access to:FOI 2015-50024 FOI Document 1
  • Full access was granted to the requested document.
FOI 2015-5003408/07/2015A request for access to:FOI 2015-50034 FOI Document 1
  • Partial access was granted to the requested document.  Irrelevant parts of the document were redacted under s 22 of the FOI Act.
 FOI 2016-50023 21/04/16

A request for access to:

‘…a list of visits by any Strategic Team to the Detention Centres on Nauru and Manus Island…’

FOI 2016-50023 FOI document 1
  • Partial access was granted to the requested documents. Irrelevant parts of the documents were redacted under s 22 of the FOI Act.
FOI 2016-5010611/01/17

A request for access to:

‘…All manuals, guidelines, policy documents, intra-departmental email, intra-departmental memos, non-privileged legal advice and legal advice over which client legal privilege is being claimed, relating to:

  • The handling by the Commonwealth Ombudsman, Deputy Commonwealth Ombudsman and staff of acts of Blackmail committed against the Commonwealth Ombudsman, Deputy Commonwealth Ombudsman and staff…’
FOI 2016-50106 FOI document 1
  • Full access was granted to the requested document.
FOI 2017-5001603/04/17

for information relating to the 'Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Digital Readiness and Other Measures) Bill 2016' under Freedom of Information:

"I request copy of all notes, records, minutes, and any and all other documents and records in the Commonwealth Ombudsman's possession and/or control that relate to this "consultation with the Commonwealth Ombudsman" that DVA and/or the Minister for Veterans' Affairs or any other Commonwealth official or Minister had with the Commonwealth Ombudsman (whether directly with the Commonwealth Ombudsman or any staff member of the Commonwealth Ombudsman).

As this matter is being publicly reported and debated in the media, and has generated considerable controversy, this is a matter of public importance and interest, and given these "consultations" are fairly recent events (the subject of Hot Issues Briefs and Question Time Briefs, etc), these records will be well known to OAIC staff and immediately to hand. I therefore argue that it would contrary to the objects and objectives of the Freedom of Information Act to seek to levy charges for access.

Furthermore, I do not consent to the redaction or obfuscation of the names of Commonwealth officials and elected representatives, in any records that fall within the scope of this FOI request."

FOI 2017-50016 FOI documents 1-5
  • Partial access provided
FOI 2017-5004305/07/17

A request for access to:

  • All correspondence between the AFP and the Ombudsman regarding the AFP's illegal access of a journalist's metadata earlier this year, including the "self-report" of the incident.

FOI 2017-50043 FOI document 1

FOI 2017-50043 FOI document 2

  • Partial access was granted to the documents on the basis of exemptions under s 37 of the FOI Act and conditional exemptions under ss 47E and 47F of the FOI Act. The exempt matter was deleted under s 22 of the FOI Act.