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Articles by Ben Fairless
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The OpenAustralia Foundation is a small charity with a big footprint. We build free, open-source tools that help Australians understand what their government is doing and exercise their democratic rights.
Farewell Election Leaflets
Today we’re retiring Election Leaflets, a project that enabled people to upload and search political advertising from around Australia. When we launched it in 2010, online political transparency was thin. People were getting floods of campaign material in their letterboxes but had no simple way to see what was being sent to other voters. Election Leaflets filled that gap.
“Strengthening” FOI or sabotaging It? Why we oppose the FOI Amendment Bill 2025
The Albanese Government has introduced the Freedom of Information Amendment Bill 2025, presented as a reform to “strengthen” the FOI framework. According to the Attorney-General’s press release, the Bill aims to modernise Freedom of Information (FOI) by: banning anonymous requests creating new refusal powers revising Cabinet and deliberative document exemptions fixing loopholes after ministerial reshuffles introducing an application fee (with exemptions for personal information requests)[1].
Our Submission: Changes to Part 3 of the FOI Guidelines
We have made a submission to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC), who were consulting on changes they proposed to make to Part 3 — Processing and deciding FOI requests of their FOI Guidelines. The FOI Guidelines are detail how the Information Commissioner expects authorities to handle FOI requests.
Australian Postal Corporation - view and make Freedom of Information requests
This is the mail system at host righttoknow.org.au. I'm sorry to have to inform you that your message could not be delivered to one or more recipients... This is the mail system at host righttoknow.org.au. I'm sorry to have to inform you that your message could not be delivered to one or more recipients... Dear Mr Fairless, Find attached correspondence for your attention. Regards, Freedom of Information team Australia Post From: To: Subject: Date: Att...
2021 LGBTI and IDAHOBIT directive - a Freedom of Information request to Minister for Defence
Dear Minister for Defence, Please note - Each email is being sent to a specific minister to request information held by that minister. Please log and treat each request is an individual request made to the relevant minister, and note the unique email address for correspondence in relation to each request. I refer to this article by the ABC today: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-21/d...
2021 LGBTI and IDAHOBIT directive - a Freedom of Information request to Assistant Minister for Defence
Dear Assistant Minister for Defence, Please note - Each email is being sent to a specific minister to request information held by that minister. Please log and treat each request is an individual request made to the relevant minister, and note the unique email address for correspondence in relation to each request. I refer to this article by the ABC today: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-21/d...
Pauline Hanson Parcel Delivery - a Freedom of Information request to Australian Postal Corporation
We don't know whether the most recent response to this request contains information or not – if you are Ben Fairless please sign in and let everyone know. Ben Fairless made this Freedom of Information request to Australian Postal Corporation This request has an unknown status. We're waiting for Ben Fairless to read recent responses and update the status.
FOI Delegations - a Freedom of Information request to Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
Dear Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, Under section 23 of the Freedom of Information Act, the principal officer or minister can make arrangements to give their decision making powers to others. I'm hoping you can provide me with a copy of the current arrangements if possible. If it helps, I'm happy for you to process this request under "administrative release" (. This would reduce the cost and time required to make a formal decision.
FOI Delegations - 2016 - a Freedom of Information request to National Australia Day Council
Ben Fairless made this Freedom of Information request to National Australia Day Council The request was refused by National Australia Day Council. From: Ben Fairless Delivered November 02, 2016 Dear National Australia Day Council, Can I please have a copy of the current FOI Delegations, and any related directions issued in respect of FOI. I believe this information could be considered "operational information" so I therefore request release under the IPS, or under Administrative Access.
FOI Manual - documents contained in G:\FOI\Admin\Manuals & Taskcards - a Freedom of Information request to Department of Human Services
Dear Department of Human Services, Thanks for processing my recent request for the FOI Manual. I’ve now got a follow up request. In the FOI Manual, there is a reference to a folder path: “G:\FOI\Admin\Manuals & Taskcards“. Can you provide all documents contained in this folder as of this email being sent? In addition, on Page 7 of the FOI Manual it appears that the word “Significant” links to another document. Can I please have a copy of that document?
FOI Manual - documents contained in G:\FOI\Admin\Manuals & Taskcards - a Freedom of Information request to Department of Human Services
We don't know whether the most recent response to this request contains information or not – if you are Ben Fairless please sign in and let everyone know. Ben Fairless made this Freedom of Information request to Department of Human Services This request has an unknown status. We're waiting for Ben Fairless to read a recent response and update the status. From: Ben Fairless Delivered January 21, 2020 Dear Department of Human Services, Thanks for processing my recent request for the FOI Manual.
FOI Manual - a Freedom of Information request to Department of Human Services
LEX 50177 Communication Your request.pdf 132K Download View as HTML LEX 50177 Communication Document.pdf 2.7M Download View as HTML Dear Mr Fairless, Please find attached correspondence in relation to your request.
My Word: Too many pickups in Humboldt County
Why so many pickups!? What’s with the many pickups on Humboldt County streets and roads? I recently counted 200 vehicles from an overpass on Hwy 101 just North of Arcata. Almost 25% were pickups. While I respect the use of pickups for work or commercial purposes, I suspect that most are merely trophy vehicles — a kind of a macho thing. A 4 door, heavy duty, high-off-of-the-ground pickup, resting on double rear tires can cost $90,000! The majority of larger pickups that I see remain pristine.
FOI Delegations - a Freedom of Information request to Minister for Home Affairs
** This is an automated response. Please do not reply to this email ** IMPORTANT INFORMATION Your email has been received by the Department of Home Affairs Freedom of Information (FOI) Section. Please note that we will only action and respond to FOI requests and other matters relating to the Freedom of Information Act 1982. If your email is a valid FOI request, the Department will contact you shortly to acknowledge your request.
Justin Warren - Freedom of Information requests
Sign in to change password, subscriptions and more (Justin Warren only) Joined Right To Know in 2014 . Response by Department of Human Services to Justin Warren on Dear Mr Warren, Please find attached correspondence in relation to your request for documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982. K... . Request to Department of Human Services by UD . Annotated by Justin Warren on Fair enough. It does take up an amazing amount of time. It's an order of magnitude easier with RightToKnow.
Correspondence Related to “The Juice Media”
Thank you for your email dated 9 September 2017, received by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (the Department), in which you made a request to the Department under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act) in the following terms: Yesterday, the creators of “The Juice Media” posted part of what they claim is a letter from DP&C.
Justin Warren - Freedom of Information requests
This person's 29 Freedom of Information requests Emails from Clearview.AI Response by Australian Federal Police to Justin Warren on August 13, 2020. Awaiting classification. UNCLASSIFIED Dear Mr Warren I am advised by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner that you are continuing with an IC review by that of... Copy of Executive Minute to the Minister for Social Services re: OCI Response by Commonwealth Ombudsman to Justin Warren on August 10, 2020. Refused.
Department of Human Services
. Request sent to Department of Human Services by Rodney Malone on I would like to know according to records authority established by National archives of Australia 2011/00714998, template of information being retai... . Clarification sent to Department of Human Services by Justin Warren on I am happy to adjust my request to just those documents that authorised the release of information under section 208(1)(a) of the Social Security (A... .
Request for User Guide - Call Centre Supervisor/Reporting Application
I wish to contend that the charges should be waived, or reduced as it has potentially been incorrectly assessed, and is in the public interest. I contend that the charges have not been fully assessed correctly. The documents mentioned include PowerPoint presentations which contain significantly less information than, for example, Microsoft Word documents due to the size of the text and images. It would take at most a few minutes to review these documents.
Average Hold Data for 2016
Please pass this on a senior officer who who conducts Freedom of Information reviews. I am writing to request an internal review of Department of Human Services's handling of my FOI request 'Average Hold Data for 2016'. The decision maker has considered my request as invalid as they believe I am not asking for a "document" under the FOI Act. The FOI Act states that a "document " includes (relevantly): (a) any of, or any part of any of, the following things: ...
Requests made via Right to Know
This is a request pursuant to s.15 of the Freedom of Information Act and is made in my capacity as an individual. I request access to: - All documents created by the ATO in relation to the decision not to respond to requests via Right to Know ("the decision"). - All documents detailing any discussion, via any means, with Right to Know and the OpenAustralia Foundation in relation to the decision. - Correspondence with the OAIC in relation to the decision including any response.
Department of Immigration and Border Protection
. Response by Department of Immigration and Border Protection to Alicia Camilleri on Dear Ms Camilleri I refer to your request under the Commonwealth Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), received by the Department of Immigr... . Response by Department of Immigration and Border Protection to Siri Linde on Good morning Thank you for your email dated 24 February 2016 in which you have submitted an application for access to documents under the Freedo...
Right To Know is now in the ACT
Right To Know, our Freedom of Information project, already makes requesting information under FOI super easy. So far you’ve only been able to request information from the Federal Government but now you’re also able to request information from the ACT Government using Right to Know. This change is great for people who are interested in the goings on of our nation’s capital, and we hope it will bring enhanced transparency to the ACT Government.
Polices about the use of "SecureMail"
Dear FOI Officer, In that case, I contend that the charges imposed are excessive, and should not be imposed. The requirement for Money Order or Cheque is an unreasonable burden =================================================== As of the date of this email, it is $10 to obtain a cheque from the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, and $8.95 for a Money Order. These additional expenses essentially jack up the price of this request by over 50%.
Law Enforcement Requests - Telstra
UNCLASSIFIED Our ref: CRM2015/241 Dear Mr Fairless, I refer to your email below in which you seek access to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the Act). I regret to inform you that the AFP is of the view that your request will take longer than 30 days to process. For the reasons cited below, the AFP seeks to extend this timeframe and advise you of a decision by 3 February 2015.
How to find what you’re looking for on Right to Know
Following on from some recent queries on Twitter, I thought it was a good idea to sit down and provide a guide on some of the ways you can keep in touch with a request on Right to Know. Right to Know is a simple, free service provided by the OpenAustralia Foundation that takes the confusion out of asking the Federal Government for information. It enhances accountability by showing you all requests made using the site, and the responses from the Government.
Mental health of asylum seekers
UNCLASSIFIEDOur references: FA 14/10/00419; ADF2014/36668 Dear Ms Melville, Re: Your Freedom of Information request I am writing to inform you that I have been appointed as the authorised decision maker for your FOI request, seeking access to: I am wanting to obtain documents regarding the number of admissions to health clinics due to mental health issues of asylum seekers residing on Christmas Island from 2013-2014 As part of the department’s FOI service standard, I will update you every 14...
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