Disclosure log - Prior to 2020

Disclosure log number:

2019/09

Release date:

6 December 2019

Summary: 

A request for:
For the period from 29 May 2019 to 25 October 2019:

- Any documents from Michael Sukkar (including anyone representing him, such as, but not limited to, Ministerial staff and staff from the Treasury) to the ABS which contains opinions, input, directions or decisions about the inclusion of questions on gender and/or sexuality on the Census or Census test
- Any document from an ABS Senior Executive recording or justifying decision-making as to whether to include questions on gender and sexuality in the Census or Census tests; and
- Final ABS versions of documents sent from the ABS to Michael Sukkar (or his office, or representatives, or the Treasury) which make recommendations or reference to the inclusion (or exclusion) of questions on gender and/or sexuality on the Census of Census test.

Names and contact details of non-Senior Executive public servants, and the mobile phone numbers of Senior Executive public servants are not relevant to this request.

Document:

FOI_6 December 2019.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2019/08

Release date:

25 November 2019

Summary: 

A request for:

- Any document with the content of communication from or to the office of the assistant treasurer, Michael Sukkar, or the Prime Minister's Office regarding the census test to be run in mid October, created after 1 September 2019
- Any document with the content of communication from or to the office of the assistant treasurer, Michael Sukkar, or the Prime Minister's Office regarding the possible inclusion of new questions on sexuality or gender in the 2021 Census, created after 1 September 2019
- Any document relating to the need for Print Media Group to reprint the census test without the sexuality and gender questions, created after 1 September 2019.

Document:

FOI_25 November 2019.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2019/07

Release date:

28 October 2019

Summary: 

A request for information relating to the framing, content, or approach to publication of 'Three states drive increase in vehicle thefts' media release of 6 July 2017. I am seeking all documents and correspondence sent both internally and external to the ABS created between 1 June 2017 and 6 July 2017. Contact details of public servants, journalists, members of the public and non-executive staff of organisations or businesses are not relevant to the request.

Document:

FOI_28 October 2019_05.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2019/06

Release date:

28 October 2019

Summary: 

A request for documents relating to public reporting by the media or other external stakeholders including unions, employers or their peak bodies of the ABS release 'Secondary jobs top one million' created between 12 March 2019 and 22 March 2019. Contact details of public servants, journalists, members of the public and non-executive staff of organisations or businesses are not relevant to the request.

Document:

FOI_28 October 2019_04.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2019/04

Release date:

28 October 2019

Summary: 

A request for any correspondence between the ABS and any ministerial office, government department or PM&C relating to "6523.0 - Household Income and Wealth, Australia, 2017-18" between 1 June 2019 and 21 August 2019.

Document:

FOI_28 October 2019_02.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2019/03

Release date:

28 August 2019

Summary: 

A request for documents and correspondence sent both internally and external to the ABS between 1 June 2019 and 12 July 2019 relating to:

- the framing, content, approach and any other considerations made in regard to the media releases for the ABS publication ‘Household Income and Wealth, Australia, 2017-18.’
- Names and contact details of public servants are not relevant to this request.

Document:

FOI_28 August 2019.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2019/02

Release date:

03 July 2019

Summary: 

A request for information from January 1 2009 until present regarding:

- Any documents related to the collection of any data on the numbers of people who commit or attempt suicide while unemployed or underemployed.
- Any correspondence between the ABS and Commonwealth agencies or Ministers offices relating to the collection of data about people threatening suicide or committing suicide while receiving Centrelink payments .
- Any correspondence regarding whether data on suicide amongst the unemployed and/or suicide amongst those receiving Centrelink payments should be collected by the ABS.
- Any correspondence regarding whether Centrelink keeps any record of threats of suicide made to Centrelink employees over the phone or in Centrelink centres.

Document:

FOI_03 July 2019.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2019/01

Release date:

26 March 2019

Summary: 

A request for correspondence sent between the Reserve Bank of Australia and the ABS relating to:

- discrepancies in aspects dealing with employment data and the employment data components between the start of 2018 and the start of 2019.

Document:

FOI_26 March 2019.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2018/02

Release date:

3 September 2018

Summary: 

A request for two documents, specifically:

- a copy of the alignment review (between Census 2021 and the SBTP transformation program) carried out by KPMG; and
- a copy of the Gateway review of the SBTP by the Department of Finance (SBTP Mid-stage Gateway Review Nov 2017).

Document:

FOI_3 September 2018.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2018/01

Release date:

7 August 2018

Summary: 

A request for:

- Visitor login sheets for the ABS building at Belconnen on Wed 27th June 2018, between the times of 8.30am and 1.30pm.

Document:

FOI_7 August 2018.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2017/16

Release date:

4 June 2018

Summary: 

A request for:

- documents that reference the requirement or lack of requirement, and any related rationale, for a privacy impact assessment for the ABS study that tracked population movements by using mobile phone data from two weeks in April 2016.

Document:

FOI_4 June 2018.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2017/15

Release date:

23 April 2018

Summary: 

A request for documents created since 1 January 2016 specifically:

- Information showing the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ analysis and/or assessment of the definition of “employment”, as used in the bureau’s monthly Labour Force Survey.

Document:

FOI_23 April 2018.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2017/14

Release date:

25 January 2018

Summary: 

A request for documents created during October and November 2017 specifically:

- communications between the Department (of Education and Training) and Senator Birmingham’s office with the Bureau of Statistics in relation to the use of Tax File data or personal or family income information for school funding purposes

Document:

FOI_25 January 2018(1).pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2017/13

Release date:

25 January 2018

Summary: 

A request for:

- any declarable gifts given to ABS staff by a third party over the past five years

Document:

FOI_25 January 2018.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2017/12

Release date:

24 January 2018

Summary: 

A request for:

- documents that show how much ABS has spent on Twitter advertising in the last 12 months, including invoices, payment summaries, or the like.

Document:

FOI_24 January 2018.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2017/11

Release date:

10 January 2018

Summary: 

A request for documents relating to the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey, specifically:

- the list of the 60 candidates nominated by the "Yes" committee and the 60 candidates nominated by the "No" committee;
- the daily log of the observers present - to include the date of observation and the full name of the observer;
- the daily log of the objections made by the observers;
- a detailed line item budget for all activities related to this survey including monies paid to other agencies and outside contractors for support services; and
- the exact amount of monies paid to the Australian Post for delivery and handling of surveys.

Document:

FOI_10 January 2018.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2017/09

Release date:

15 December 2017

Summary: 

A request for:

- Correspondence, memos, reports or other documentation created between November 8-15, 2017, inclusive, which discuss the procedure, challenges and/or aims of the ABS' announcement of the same-sex marriage survey result.

Document:

FOI_15 December 2017.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2017/08

Release date:

7 December 2017

Summary: 

A request for documents created between 25 September and 8 October 2017 specifically :

- An extract of a document aggregating the number of applications for a replacement marriage law survey form identifying the reason for the application (ie that the applicant's form was damaged, lost, not received or the applicant has a new mailing address), but excluding any personal information of applicants and other persons;
- A document identifying the aggregate number of people who received responses that the ABS was not able to verify their details against the Commonwealth Electoral Roll after they applied for a replacement survey form using the webform; and
- A document identifying the aggregate number of people whose applications for a replacement form were refused.

Document:

FOI_07 December 2017.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2017/07

Release date:

1 December 2017

Summary: 

A request for:

- information on a count of how many Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey envelopes that have been returned to the Australian Bureau of Statistics have registered post stickers on them on top of the reply paid; and
- the process of how those envelopes with a registered post sticker on them would be handled.

Document:

FOI_01 December 2017.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2017/06

Release date:

10 November 2017

Summary: 

A request regarding the posting of the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey forms specifically:

- Information on what ordering strategy was chosen, for example, by area, surname, randomly, etc; and
- Information on the decision-making process that was used to choose that strategy.

Document:

FOI_10 November 2017.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2017/05

Release date:

6 November 2017

Summary: 

A request for documents created between 25 September and 8 October 2017 specifically :

- An extract of a document aggregating the number of applications for a replacement marriage law survey form identifying the reason for the application (ie that the applicant's form was damaged, lost, not received or the applicant has a new mailing address), but excluding any personal information of applicants and other persons;
- A document identifying the aggregate number of people who received responses that the ABS was not able to verify their details against the Commonwealth Electoral Roll after they applied for a replacement survey form using the webform; and
- A document identifying the aggregate number of people whose applications for a replacement form were refused.

Document:

FOI_6 November 2017.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2017/04

Release date:

5 October 2017

Summary: 

A request for:

- Draft templates or designs proposed for the form to be sent to all people on the electoral roll for the postal survey on same-sex marriage.

Document:

FOI_5 October 2017.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2017/03

Release date:

22 September 2017

Summary: 

Four requests for documents created between 1 February 2017 and 11:51am on 9 August 2017 relating to:

- any proposal or discussion about the Australian Bureau of Statistics running a postal plebiscite on the issue of same-sex marriage including challenges or difficulties; and
- any correspondence (since 1 August 2017) between the ABS and either the Treasurer (or his office), the Minister for Small Business (or his office), the Finance Minister (or his office) or the Special Minister of State (or his office) relating to Same Sex Marriage, the Census and Statistics Act, the Australian Bureau of Statistics Act, plebiscites or postal votes.

Document:

FOI_22 September 2017.pdf

Other information:

The ABS received four requests with similar scopes which have been combined into one document release.

Disclosure log number:

2017/02

Release date:

5 September 2017

Summary: 

A request for documents that add to the Personal Safety Survey explanatory notes at https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4906.0Explanatory+Notes12012 specifically:

- any document that details the instructions given to interviewers, including the words to be used by interviewers (i) in seeking information, for the purposes of enumeration, about household residents, (ii) in explaining the voluntary nature of the survey, and (iii) in ensuring that the interview was conducted in private with the interviewee, without the knowledge of other household residents; and
- any documents that indicate how many times interviewers attempted to contact a person in the household for (i) the initial purpose of enumeration, and (ii) to interview the randomly selected potential interviewee

Document:

FOI_5 September 2017.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2017/01

Release date:

7 July 2017

Summary: 

A request for:

- Documents from the Department of Education and Training to the ABS specifically on SES methodology used to fund schools and the the detailed review of the SES methodology by the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria; and
- On the same subject matter documents from the ABS to the Department of Education and Training between 1 March 2017 and 31 May 2017. 

Document:

FOI_7 July 2017.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2016/22

Release date:

24 May 2017

Summary: 

A request for:

- Emails to and from an ABS employee between 1st April 2016 and 31st August 2016 with the keyword "culcha" in either the body of the email or the header (subject line, to or from email fields etc).

Document:

FOI_24 May 2017.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2016/21

Release date:

30 March 2017

Summary: 

A request for:

- Documents wherein the outcome of any enterprise bargaining ballots were communicated to the department by the entity who undertook the ballots. This shall include the YES/NO vote amounts or percentages as well as any additional information related to the vote. For example, a breakdown of the vote by employee location, or APS level. The scope of this request covers any such documents that were received as a result of EBA offers made to staff under the Workplace Bargaining Policy 2015 or the Australian Government Public Sector Workplace Bargaining Policy 2014.

Document:

FOI_30 March 2017.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2016/20

Release date:

20 March 2017

Summary: 

A request for:

- Document(s) which describe the data provided to the external organisation(s) responsible for conducting the ballot(s) for all Enterprise Agreements put to staff for a vote. The scope of this request is limited only to those ballots undertaken for enterprise agreements which were proposed to take effect after 30 June 2014. The document shall describe the data given to the ballot agent. For example, employee name, employee identification number, employee email address, etc. This request excludes the data for specific employees; the request only relates to the 'meta-data'.

Document:

FOI_20 March 2017.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2016/19

Release date:

20 January 2017

Summary: 

A request for:

- Disclosure Review Board (DRB) terms of reference (DRB is a committee that assesses 'disclosure risks' of at-risk microdata files.
- Template for submitting a statistical release to DRB for review/assessment.
- Policy for releasing microdata (unit record files as opposed to aggregate information).
- 'Life cycle for research' principles.

Document:

FOI_20 January 2017(2).pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2016/18

Release date:

20 January 2017

Summary: 

A request for:

- Communications in the three months before 9 August 2016 to and/or from the Chief Statistician and/or Head of 2016 Census warning and/or cautioning about the level and/or adequacy of Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) protection for the 2016 online census.

Document:

FOI_20 January 2017(1).pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2016/17

Release date:

20 December 2016

Summary: 

A request for:

- Briefing material about the implementation of the 2016 Census prepared for Ministers with responsibility for the ABS from 01/01/2015 to the date of this application (11:26pm 09 August 2016) or at the request of the Office of the Treasurer and other Treasury portfolios.

Document:

FOI_20 December 2016.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2016/16

Release date:

1 December 2016

Summary: 

A request for:

- Current FOI delegations and any related directions issued in respect of FOI.

Document:

FOI_1 December 2016.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2016/15

Release date:

18 November 2016

Summary: 

A request for:

- Any and all correspondence (letters, emails, phone conversations) between the ABS and Murdoch University regarding 2 emails the applicant sent to David Kalisch from his work email address on 05/08/2016 and 10/08/2016.

Document:

FOI_18 November 2016.pdf

Other information:

WARNING: FOI_18 November 2016 contains language that may offend some readers.

Disclosure log number:

2016/14

Release date:

11 November 2016

Summary: 

A request for:

- All instructions given to Census Mainstream Field Officers regarding privacy or confidentiality. This does not include brief mentions/reminders in otherwise unrelated communications.
- All instructions/information given to Census Mainstream Field Officers regarding access to property.
- Provisions for securing Census data when Census Mainstream Field Officers are using the 'App' on their personal devices.

Document:

FOI_11 November 2016.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2016/13

Release date:

9 November 2016

Summary: 

A request for:

- Raw server logs for the last 100 successful visits to the eCensus on 9 August 2016.

Document:

FOI_9 November 2016.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2016/12

Release date:

25 October 2016

Summary: 

A request for:

- all correspondence (the final emails) regarding 'the potential and/or actual failure of the online 2016 Census website', involving one or more of the following: Duncan Young, Chris Libreri, Jonathan Palmer and David Kalisch, not including the public. Timeframe is from midnight 8 August 2016 to the date of this application (12:39pm 10 August 2016).

Document:

FOI_25 October 2016.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2016/11

Release date:

13 October 2016

Summary: 

A request for:

- copies of all emails, memos or other written documents sent to and from the Census Communications team on Census day (Tue 9 August), specifically relating to the @ABSCensus Twitter feed and tweets by that account. This includes information about what the account should or could publish, as well as discussion about tweets already published
- internal communication within the team, i.e. emails between team members regarding the @ABSCensus Twitter feed.

Document:

FOI_13 October 2016.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2016/10

Release date:

12 October 2016

Summary: 

A request for:

- all corporate credit card spending by David Kalisch since July 1, 2015 until the date of this request; and 
- all expense claims lodged by David Kalisch since July 1, 2015 until the date of this request.

Document:

FOI_12 October 2016(2).pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2016/08

Release date:

27 September 2016

Summary: 

A request for:

- Reports in relation to public feedback with regard to the Census, through to 19 August 2016.

Document:

FOI_27 September 2016.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2016/07

Release date:

23 September 2016

Summary: 

A request for:

- All referrals from the Australian Bureau of Statistics to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner notifying them of a suspected data breach or other breach (from 2013 onwards) under the IPPs or APP.

Document:

FOI_23 September 2016.pdf

Other information:

Related media release

Disclosure log number:

2016/06

Release date:

14 September 2016

Summary: 

A request for:

- All documents, reports, emails, texts and other communications generated on August 9 and 10 2016 both to and from:

  - the Australian Statistican, David Kalisch
  - the Deputy Australian Statisican and Chief Operating Officer, Jonathan Palmer
  - Minister Michael McCormack

Document:

FOI_14 September 2016.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2016/05

Release date:

12 September 2016

Summary: 

A request for:

- Redacted information relating to a previous FOI - Disclosure Log no. 2015/07.

Document:

FOI_12 September 2016 (ABS Ref 201617-26).pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2016/04

Release date:

12 September 2016

Summary: 

A request for:

- Policy/procedural documents which are currently in effect and relate only to individuals who refuse a direction to complete the Census.

Document:

FOI_12September2016.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2016/02

Release date:

08 September 2016

Summary: 

A request for:

- Census Australia Facebook User Rules

Document:

FOI_08 September 2016.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2016/01

Release date:

22 August 2016

Summary: 

A request for:

- Ministerial briefs and correspondence between the ABS and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner since 1 January 2015 regarding ABS practices with regards to identifying information collected as part of the Census

Document:

FOI_22August2016.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2015/10

Release date:

25 July 2016

Summary: 

A request for:

- Application details for Area Supervisors for the Beaudesert area for the 2016 Census

Document:

FOI_25July2016.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2015/07

Release date:

30 May 2016

Summary: 

A request for:

- Retention of names and addresses collected in the 2016 Census of Population and Housing

Document:

FOI_30May2016.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2015/08

Release date:

13 May 2016

Summary: 

A request for:

- Social media policy and guidance

Document:

FOI_13May2016.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2015/04

Release date:

13 October 2015

Summary: 

A request for:

- Application of confidentiality for International Merchandise Trade: Confidential Commodities List, Aug 2015

Document:

FOI_26October2015.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2015/02

Release date:

5 June 2015

Summary: 

A request for:

- Current Training Manuals and related material used to train staff engaged in the collection and preparation of data for the compilation of the CPI, specifically material that provides guidance to staff about when and how they should make adjustments to prices on account of a change in the quality of a product or service.

Document:

FOI_5June2015.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2015/01

Release date:

2 February 2015

Summary: 

A request for:

- Application information for ABS IT job vacancies advertised from 2009-2014.

Document:

FOI_2February2015.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2014/02

Release date:

1 September 2014

Summary: 

A request for:

- Copy of the ABS' 2013/14 Patient Experience Survey.

Document:

FOI_1September2014.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2014/01

Release date:

8 July 2014

Summary: 

A request for:

- Documentation on:

  - the decision to amend the tariff classification from statistical key 10 to 34;
  - the decision to amend the statistical information description for ABS import statistics;
  - the consultative discussions with industry prior to the changes being implemented; and
  - ABS policy documentation regarding the withholding of import statistics since 2011.

The request is limited to import statistics relating to imports of insulated cable from the USA and China.

Document:

FOI_8July2014.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2013/02

Release date:

24 April 2013

Summary: 

A request for:

- Copies of the monthly briefings on 6202.0 Labour Force, Australia prepared by the Labour Branch for use in the lockup of departmental officials on the Thursday morning of the Labour Force release. The request is limited to those briefings that took place between January 2011 and March 2013 inclusive.

Document:

FOI_24April2013(2).pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2013/01

Release date:

24 April 2013

Summary: 

A request for:

- Any cyber security incidents over the last 5 years that have resulted in the production of internal ABS documents that were written by people (and not generated by an anti-virus program).

Document:

FOI_24April2013.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2012/01

Release date:

23 March 2012

Summary: 

A request for:

- Documents, created or received between January 19 2012 and February 19 2012, relating to:

  - the decision to publish 'Employment Level Estimates versus Employment to Population Explained' in 6202.0, January 2012; and
  - claims made that employment growth had slipped to its lowest in two decades in 6202.0 in December 2011.

Document:

FOI_23March2012.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2011/03

Release date:

18 October 2011

Summary: 

A request for:

- All documents produced in the past 6 months about the extent of non-compliance with the 2011 Census.

Document:

FOI_18October2011.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2011/02

Release date:

7 October 2011

Summary: 

A request for:

- All minutes from the 2012 Personal Safety Survey Advisory Group meetings.

Document:

FOI_7October2011.pdf

Other information:

Disclosure log number:

2011/01

Release date:

16 June 2011

Summary: 

A request for:

- All records and communication of the Australian Bureau of Statistics relating to work on autism spectrum disorder in conjunction with FaHCSIA.

Document:

FOI_16June2011.pdf

Other information: