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RECORD RADAR · ROTATION 015
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SUN 16 AUG 2026
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— ROTATION 015 / 2026.08.16
Rotation 015 /022
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The 22 new FOI releases from Federal government departments and key agencies from 9-16 August 2026 are summarised below. Notable this week: an internal RBA paper warns state debt will top $800 billion by 2028; the Attorney-General signed consent to prosecute Ben Roberts-Smith just hours after the submission landed; Services Australia released guidelines for a tool it uses to monitor welfare recipients' social media, but withheld almost all operational detail; and a newly released 2009 AFP brief shows Balibo Five families were told the war crimes investigation had begun only after DFAT asked for a delay so Indonesia could be told first. Key companies mentioned: Auscript, Anthropic, Microsoft, KPMG, Fortescue Metals Group, Fivecast, Qantas and Whitestone Strategic. If you've been forwarded this email, you can subscribe here. To find out more about lodging FOI requests, at Right to Know. The initial summaries of the documents are produced by AI, but verified and reworked by humans. All feedback is welcome, just hit reply.
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22
Found
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09
Recommended-read
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13
Look
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24%
Avg redact
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RBA
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1 found · 1 recommended-read
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READ
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RBA
· % REDACTED 30%
RBA warns state debt heading to $800bn as banks exposed to bond slump
Internal Reserve Bank research released under FOI warns that semi-government bonds, the debt issued by state and territory treasuries, are on track to exceed $800 billion by 2028, nearly triple pre-pandemic levels, as states run large deficits. A January 2025 paper finds domestic banks now hold almost 57 per cent of the market, and models that a 25 per cent fall in bond prices would drag many banks' liquidity ratios down to internal minimums. Seven related market liaison notes were withheld in full. Redactions: s.22, s.45, s.47E(d).
See the disclosure →
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AFP
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1 found · 1 recommended-read
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READ
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AFP
· % REDACTED 2%
AFP briefed minister as war crimes investigation into Balibo Five began
A September 2009 ministerial brief to the Home Affairs Minister shows the AFP notified the families of the Balibo Five that it had commenced a war crimes investigation into the deaths of the five journalists killed in East Timor in 1975. The delay in advising families was at DFAT's request so the Indonesian government could be told first. Redactions: staff contact details under s.22.
See the disclosure →
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ATTORNEY GENERAL
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2 found · 1 recommended-read · 1 look
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READ
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ATTORNEY GENERAL
· % REDACTED 85%
AG signed Roberts-Smith prosecution consent six days before arrest
Four FOI releases detail a Ministerial Submission recommending consent to prosecute Ben Roberts-Smith for war crimes reached Attorney-General Michelle Rowland at 9:35am on 1 April 2026. By 1:42pm her department emailed the CDPP to confirm she had signed. Roberts-Smith was arrested six days later on five war crime murder charges. The submission itself was withheld; only Criminal Code extracts were substantively released. Redactions: s.22 irrelevant, s.37 law enforcement, s.42 legal privilege, s.47C deliberations, s.47E(d) agency operations, s.47F personal privacy.
See the disclosure →
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LOOK
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ATTORNEY GENERAL
· % REDACTED 20%
AGD paid up to $3,125 a day for same-day court transcripts in Samoa extradition case
The Attorney-General's Department approved up to $18,750 to obtain same-day Auscript transcripts for a six-day Federal Court hearing in June 2022 in the Samoan extradition case against Talalelei Pauga, wanted in Samoa for conspiracy to murder. Assistant Secretary Karen Moore initially queried the high fees before being told same-day transcripts could not be ordered earlier. Auscript was engaged via limited tender as the sole provider of Federal Court transcripts. Redactions: s.22.
See the disclosure →
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SERVICES AUSTRALIA
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1 found · 1 recommended-read
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READ
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SERVICES AUSTRALIA
· % REDACTED 40%
How Services Australia surveils welfare recipients online stays hidden
Services Australia has released its internal guidelines and a privacy assessment for Fivecast ONYX, the open-source intelligence tool its Intelligence and Investigations Branch uses to monitor social media in welfare fraud cases. Most operational detail, including how searches are run, what the tool does, and the risks flagged in a legal advice summary, is withheld. Redactions: s.22, s.37(2)(b), s.42, s.47C, s.47D, s.47E(d), s.47F(1), s.47G.
See the disclosure →
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LOOK
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PM&C
· % REDACTED 5%
Electrical Trades Union warned PM of Iran-driven 30% price surge
ETU national secretary Michael Wright wrote to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on 30 March warning that Iran conflict fuel and supply chain shocks would drive a 30% electrical industry price rise in April and had already stood down hundreds of apprentices. He said the pressures threatened Powering Australia, the Housing Accord and Future Made in Australia. Redactions: s.22.
See the disclosure →
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LOOK
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DFAT
· % REDACTED 70%
DFAT's guide to redacting FOI documents released ~70% redacted
DFAT withheld 22 of 33 pages of the guidance material it provides to its own FOI decision-makers. The request sought DFAT's procedural manual, training on assessing and applying redactions, and details of staff responsible for FOI decisions. DFAT released only a blank search-request template and a 2023 delegation instrument signed by acting secretary Craig Maclachlan. Redactions: s.22 irrelevant material, s.47E(d) agency operations, s.47(1)(b) commercial value.
See the disclosure →
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FINANCE
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2 found · 1 recommended-read · 1 look
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LOOK
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FINANCE
· % REDACTED 2%
Senator Price's office paid $16,500 for "supporter survey" by strategic consultancy
A $16,500 invoice from Sydney firm Whitestone Strategic to Senator Jacinta Price's office covers the design, implementation and reporting of a supporter survey, dated 11 December 2025. The release also includes 14 invoices for Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce between December 2025 and April 2026, covering routine costs. Redactions: s.47G on invoice number, BSB and account details.
See the disclosure →
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READ
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FINANCE
· % REDACTED 0%
Finance running 34 AI use cases including policy and legislation drafting
Finance had 34 active AI use cases with appointed accountable owners as of 31 May 2026, spanning policy and legislation drafting, budget proposal review, fiscal risk identification, public communications drafting, executive committee minutes, and legal advice records management. Ownership sits with Senior Executive Band 1 or 2 officers, or Executive Level 2. Approvals began in June 2025, with the most recent added on 28 May 2026 for legal advice records management support. Redactions: none.
See the disclosure →
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INDUSTRY, SCIENCE, RESOURCES
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2 found · 1 recommended-read · 1 look
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READ
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INDUSTRY, SCIENCE, RESOURCES
· % REDACTED 55%
Science academy pushed Husic to create independent research misconduct watchdog
The Australian Academy of Science's February 2022 proposal to Minister Ed Husic urged the government to establish Research Integrity Australia, an independent body with a $5 million annual budget to oversee misconduct investigations at any organisation receiving public research funding. The department's brief noted concerns about institutional conflicts of interest and the existing Australian Research Integrity Committee's narrow remit. Chief Scientist Cathy Foley's activity reports show she later published a Trust in Science paper on the issue. Redactions: s.22, s.47C.
See the disclosure →
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LOOK
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INDUSTRY, SCIENCE, RESOURCES
· % REDACTED 45%
Wilderness Society mobilised 21,000 against Otway gas release
Public consultation on the December 2025 Otway Basin offshore petroleum acreage release attracted about 3,700 submissions, with Greenpeace's endorsed by 696 individuals and the Wilderness Society's supported by more than 21,000. Redactions: s.22, s.42, s.47B, s.47C.
See the disclosure →
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TREASURY
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1 found · 1 look
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LOOK
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TREASURY
· % REDACTED 0%
Treasury staff absences peaked day after end of financial year
A section 17 document created for an FOI request shows daily workplace absences at Treasury across the fortnight starting June 22 to July 3 in 2026. Absences ranged from 374, up to a peak of 448 on Friday 3 July. Annual leave was the largest single category on every day, followed by personal or carer's leave and parenting leave. Redactions: none.
See the disclosure →
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SOCIAL SERVICES
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1 found · 1 recommended-read
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READ
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SOCIAL SERVICES
· % REDACTED 1%
DSS aims for lowest rung of workplace diversity index
Social Services has submitted a Foundation-tier application to Pride in Diversity's Australian Workplace Equality Index, targeting Bronze status, which is the scheme's entry level. The submission points to existing policies on parental leave, international travel, family violence and harassment contact officers as evidence of LGBTIQA+ inclusion. Redactions: minor personal details of nominated harassment contact officers.
See the disclosure →
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EDUCATION
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2 found · 1 recommended-read · 1 look
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READ
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EDUCATION
· % REDACTED 40%
Education still outsourcing grants, procurement and cost-benefit work
Education told the Australian Public Service Commission which of its jobs must be done by public servants rather than outsourced, including drafting cabinet submissions and legislation, ministerial and media liaison, and Protected-level national security work. Roles that can still be outsourced include procurement, contract management, cost-benefit analysis, and running grant programs, but Education has flagged these as future priorities to bring back in-house. Redactions: s.22.
See the disclosure →
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LOOK
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EDUCATION
· % REDACTED 5%
Cost of Mandurah study hub kept secret
The amended Conditions of Grant for the Mandurah Universities Centre, operated by Regional Development Australia Peel Inc. under the Suburban University Study Hubs Program, redact the total funding amount and full budget breakdown under s.47E(d), an exemption for material that would prejudice agency operations. Grant values are ordinarily published on GrantConnect. Redactions: s.22, s.47E(d), s.47F.
See the disclosure →
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AGRICULTURE
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2 found · 1 recommended-read · 1 look
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READ
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AGRICULTURE
· % REDACTED 15%
Regulator finds 11% of agricultural chemicals wrongly registered with multiple formulations
Every pesticide and veterinary medicine sold in Australia is approved by a regulator called the APVMA. Meeting notes show it has realised it has been letting companies register several versions of a product, such as the same chemical in different colours or concentrations, under one approval, when each should have its own. It dates the practice to its creation from the states' systems, estimates 11 per cent of farm chemicals and 4 per cent of animal medicines are affected, and sees no safety, environmental or trade concerns. Redactions: s.22, s.42, s.47F
See the disclosure →
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LOOK
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AGRICULTURE
· % REDACTED 0%
More than 1,000 Agriculture staff on leave each day in late June
A leave summary shows between 1,080 and 1,377 Department of Agriculture staff were absent on each working day from 22 to 26 June 2026, across categories including annual, personal, carers, parental and long service leave. Personal leave was the largest single category, peaking at 417 staff on 22 June. Redactions: none.
See the disclosure →
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LOOK
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DEWR
· % REDACTED 20%
DEWR sets up panels to consult jobseekers on Workforce Australia overhaul
Internal briefs and terms of reference show DEWR building the consultation machinery for its redesign of the employment services system, the privatised model that replaced jobactive and drew heavy criticism from a parliamentary inquiry. Redactions: s.22, s.47C, s.47E, s.47F, s.47G.
See the disclosure →
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VETERAN'S AFFAIRS
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1 found · 1 look
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LOOK
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VETERAN'S AFFAIRS
· % REDACTED 0%
Most veterans in DVA studying pilot were doing university-level courses
Of the 1,343 veterans on incapacity payments taking part in the Veterans Studying Pilot, 961, or 72 per cent, were undertaking bachelor degrees or diplomas, a document created in response to an FOI request shows. The department flagged a known data-quality issue where the study course recorded on a rehabilitation claim may not directly match the incapacity claim linked to the pilot activity. Redactions: none.
See the disclosure →
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CLIMATE, ENERGY ETC
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2 found · 2 look
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LOOK
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CLIMATE, ENERGY ETC
· % REDACTED 45%
Bowen rejected industry push to loosen safeguard rules for coal mines
Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen agreed in February not to amend the Safeguard Mechanism as requested by a company whose name is redacted, deferring changes to the 2026-27 scheme review. The department warned an exemption for coal mine emissions during regulatory shutdowns was inconsistent with the scheme's intent and would favour some coal mines over others. The wider batch also documents the appointment of consultant Sally Higgins as Ausatralia's COP31 Youth Climate Champion. Redactions: s.47C, s.47G, s.47F, s.22, s.33.
See the disclosure →
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LOOK
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CLIMATE, ENERGY ETC
· % REDACTED 40%
Ministerial submissions index reveals Snowy 2.0 audit briefing to Bowen
A five-page index of ministerial submissions sent to Chris Bowen in May and June lists briefings on the ANAO's Snowy 2.0 audit, a departmental response to advocacy group Original Power's Right to Power report, a temporary 20 per cent cut to the diesel and gasoline minimum stockholding obligation, and appointments for the Clean Energy Regulator and Clean Energy Finance Corporation. Two full pages of entries and numerous individual titles are withheld. Redactions: s.47C, s.33, s.47G.
See the disclosure →
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LOOK
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ATO
· % REDACTED 0%
ATO says semi-pro SANFL footballers can earn $400 a game tax-free
Match payments of up to $400 a game paid to Category B players at South Australian National Football League clubs are not taxable and do not have to be declared, according to an ATO fact sheet released under FOI. The ATO treats these players as pursuing a hobby rather than earning income, meaning clubs do not withhold tax and players cannot claim deductions for boots, insurance or travel. Redactions: none.
See the disclosure →
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Quiet this rotation · no releases from HOME AFFAIRS, HEALTH, INFRASTRUCTURE, DEFENCE, ASIC, ACCC, APRA, AUSTRAC, IP AUSTRALIA, ACNC, OAIC, AEC.
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