Third Party Consultation Records Crucial to the Public’s Greater Understanding of the Government’s Processing of Requests for Information, 29.08.2023
Further to a media release on this Site dated 13th June 2023 concerning the State’s use and access to the IPC GIPA TOOL, the Dept of Communities & Justice (Justice NSW) received a secondary request for information on 01st August 2023 from Telina Webb of NSW Freedom of Information.
The request sought access to the third-party consultations referred to in a Notice of Decision dated 31st July 2023, where Webb had sought access to the IPC GIPA TOOL case management records held by Justice NSW.
Today’s documentation shows the inapplicable redacting of the information on a claim of personal information, health records, and the infamous Section 14 Table 3(f) clause which screams of imminent harm or harassment.
The document sets out the likelihood the details of the consulted third party, now fully identified as Amol Mane, will be subjected to harassment if his / her departmental information is made public.
“These three clauses, 3(a), 3(b), and 3(f) have become the go-to clauses to prevent due release of government employee information. However, the GIPA Act 2009 Schedule 4, 4, 3, (b) makes clear such information is not considered to be personal in any way, and so there is no ability to preclude access to it."
"What this shows is the person who made the decision to obstruct access to Amol Mane’s information, which amounts to nothing more than a work email address and work phone number, a Jordan Creyson who is believed to be Director Jodie Cobbin using an alias, is ignoring those parts of the legislation which just don’t suit her,” stated Webb.
“In a separate case I have documented the Port Stephens Council Governance Manager / Corporate Policeman Tony Wickham, fabricating documents and information to make a false claim of a risk of harm if information is released to the public. Any reasonable person can understand why I have no faith in Right to Information Officers acting with integrity as public servants. I strongly recommend those asking for information, which is obstructed from release on a claim of third-party consultations, make a secondary request for those. We have the right to know if what they claim is true or false.”
Today’s decision is available here.
Contact: Jodie Cobbin, Jodie.cobbin@dcj.nsw.gov.au Jordan Creyson, (02) 9716 2662
The request sought access to the third-party consultations referred to in a Notice of Decision dated 31st July 2023, where Webb had sought access to the IPC GIPA TOOL case management records held by Justice NSW.
Today’s documentation shows the inapplicable redacting of the information on a claim of personal information, health records, and the infamous Section 14 Table 3(f) clause which screams of imminent harm or harassment.
The document sets out the likelihood the details of the consulted third party, now fully identified as Amol Mane, will be subjected to harassment if his / her departmental information is made public.
“These three clauses, 3(a), 3(b), and 3(f) have become the go-to clauses to prevent due release of government employee information. However, the GIPA Act 2009 Schedule 4, 4, 3, (b) makes clear such information is not considered to be personal in any way, and so there is no ability to preclude access to it."
"What this shows is the person who made the decision to obstruct access to Amol Mane’s information, which amounts to nothing more than a work email address and work phone number, a Jordan Creyson who is believed to be Director Jodie Cobbin using an alias, is ignoring those parts of the legislation which just don’t suit her,” stated Webb.
“In a separate case I have documented the Port Stephens Council Governance Manager / Corporate Policeman Tony Wickham, fabricating documents and information to make a false claim of a risk of harm if information is released to the public. Any reasonable person can understand why I have no faith in Right to Information Officers acting with integrity as public servants. I strongly recommend those asking for information, which is obstructed from release on a claim of third-party consultations, make a secondary request for those. We have the right to know if what they claim is true or false.”
Today’s decision is available here.
Contact: Jodie Cobbin, Jodie.cobbin@dcj.nsw.gov.au Jordan Creyson, (02) 9716 2662