|
RECORD RADAR · ROTATION 016
|
SUN 23 AUG 2026
|
|
— ROTATION 016 / 2026.08.23
Rotation 016 /059
|
|
The new FOI releases from Federal government departments and key agencies from 16 to 23 August 2026 are summarised below. Notable this week: the AFP is trialling AI policing tools, including a data-enrichment prototype called DEEP overseen by a new "Responsible Technology Committee"; Home Affairs pushed to cast Anthropic as a national security partner and promote "democratically aligned" AI across the Indo-Pacific; and the government's claim that Pacific worker absconding fell from 10 to three percent sits against internal briefings warning the figures are under-reported and should not be used publicly. Key companies mentioned: Palantir, KPMG (in three releases), PsiQuantum, Anthropic, Qantas, Maurice Blackburn, Commonwealth Bank, Fivecast, IBM, Fortescue Metals Group, APA Group, Liberty Bell Bay, Babcock and Naval Group. 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.
|
|
59
Found
|
23
Recommended-read
|
28
Look
|
32%
Avg redact
|
|
HEALTH
|
2 found · 2 recommended-read
|
| |
READ
·
HEALTH
· % REDACTED 25%
Funded hours for disability social supports set to halve
Modelling behind the minister's Press Club speech shows NDIS social and community participation funding will roughly halve per participant. Weekly funded hours for most participants fall from seven to 3.5, and from 19.9 to 9.9 for those in round-the-clock supported living. Talking points warn against words like "allocated" or "capping" that suggest the government is setting support values. Redactions: budget-sensitive modelling and staff details under s.22, s.47C and s.47E(d).
See the disclosure →
|
| |
READ
·
HEALTH
· % REDACTED 25%
Medicines regulator buys spyware-style tools to surveil online activity
The Therapeutic Goods Administration spent $107,250 on Fivecast Onyx open-source intelligence licences and separately pursued OSINTCombine's Nexus Xplore to monitor websites and social media , citing a rising volume of tip-offs. Officials rushed the purchase before 30 June to avoid losing set-aside funds, and note the same information is already gathered manually. Redactions: internal deliberations and named staff withheld under s.47E(d) and s.47F.
See the disclosure →
|
|
PM&C
|
1 found · 1 recommended-read
|
| |
READ
·
PM&C
· % REDACTED 60%
National security agencies sought AI-risk collaboration with Anthropic
The government signed a memorandum of understanding with Anthropic on 1 April. Beforehand, Home Affairs proposed casting the company as a national security partner: strengthening information-sharing, jointly assessing AI threats including adversarial misuse and model alignment, and promoting "democratically aligned" AI across the Indo-Pacific. Separately, draft MOUs with several AI companies were circulated to about 10 departments for objections. Redactions: proposal detail, MoU text and names under s.22, s.47C, s.47E(d), s.47G.
See the disclosure →
|
|
AFP
|
2 found · 1 recommended-read · 1 look
|
| |
LOOK
·
AFP
· % REDACTED 90%
Public reports about Scientology brought no federal charges
The Australian Federal Police received several public crime reports referencing the Church of Scientology, lodged through Crime Stoppers, the AFP website and interstate police notifications, and circulated them between its state operations centres. In the documented cases officers found no federal offences and took no further action. Redactions: nearly all report content under s.47B, s.47E and s.47F.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
READ
·
AFP
· % REDACTED 90%
Federal police trial AI prototypes to enrich policing data
The Australian Federal Police is building and trialling artificial intelligence tools for policing, including a data-enrichment prototype called DEEP, overseen by a new internal Responsible Technology Committee. The release schedule lists 147 documents spanning the AFP's AI strategy, transparency statement, consequence-assessment framework and several prototypes, some with budget breakdowns. Redactions: 28 document titles withheld under s.47E(d).
See the disclosure →
|
|
HOME AFFAIRS
|
6 found · 3 recommended-read · 2 look
|
| |
READ
·
HOME AFFAIRS
· % REDACTED 60%
Pacific worker statistics called unreliable behind the scenes
Government messaging says the rate of Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) workers leaving their sponsoring employer without permission has fallen from 10 percent in 2020-21 to three percent in 2024-25, but internal briefings warn the figures are under-reported and one notes they should not be used publicly. Redactions: extensive removal of statistics and analysis under s.22 and s.47E(b).
See the disclosure →
|
| |
READ
·
HOME AFFAIRS
· % REDACTED 35%
Unions warn foreign aircraft engineer licences could compromise air safety
Four unions warned Immigration Minister Tony Burke that the Civil Aviation Safety Authority's plan to recognise US, UK and Singapore aircraft maintenance engineer licences is deeply flawed and could jeopardise air safety. The letter accompanied a brief for Burke's July meeting with the ACTU, which wanted working holiday maker rules tightened to curb undercutting of Pacific labour scheme workers. Redactions: deliberative content and personal details under s.47C, s.47F and s.22.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
READ
·
HOME AFFAIRS
· % REDACTED 0%
Government body keeps no data on whether it overclassifies information
The Commonwealth Security Policy Branch, which oversees how federal agencies classify information under the Protective Security Policy Framework, holds no audit, review, complaints or statistical data on the overclassification of government material. It confirmed it does not track information holdings or classification decisions by security level. Redactions: none.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
LOOK
·
HOME AFFAIRS
· % REDACTED 0%
Queensland's top law officers named as immigration officials in 2017 order
A 2017 instrument signed by then home affairs minister Peter Dutton appointed Queensland's attorney-general, director of public prosecutions and police commissioner as authorised officials for immigration purposes under the Migration Act, while revoking all previous Queensland appointments. Redactions: none.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
LOOK
·
HOME AFFAIRS
· % REDACTED 40%
Border Force's new digital travel card won't cover all airports until 2028
A digital Australia Travel Declaration trialled with Qantas at Brisbane airport from October 2024 has logged more than 135,000 lodgements and is being extended across other state capitals through 2026. Full rollout is not expected until early 2028, with officials warning delays carry reputational risk and could draw industry complaints. Ongoing costs run to $450,000 a year. Redactions: cost detail, deliberative content and expansion options under s.47C, s.47G(1)(a) and s.22.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
SKIP
·
HOME AFFAIRS
· % REDACTED 70%
Heavy redactions leave citizenship ceremony procedures largely blacked out
The department's standard operating procedure for running citizenship ceremonies sets out how councils coordinate these. Most operational detail is withheld, including large parts of the contents page and multiple full pages. Redactions: extensive removal of procedural content and staff details under s.22.
See the disclosure →
|
|
DEWR
|
2 found · 1 recommended-read · 1 look
|
| |
READ
·
DEWR
· % REDACTED 65%
Internal paper warns providers neglect hardest-to-help jobseekers
An internal chief economist's paper on redesigning employment services warns that providers favour easy-to-place jobseekers ('creaming') while neglecting those least likely to find work ('parking'). It cautions that outcome-based payments can be gamed by churning people through short-term jobs, and notes Workforce Australia already pays providers more for placing harder-to-help jobseekers. Redactions: most of the paper, including three full pages, withheld as outside the request's scope under s.22.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
LOOK
·
DEWR
· % REDACTED 15%
PM-endorsed jobseeker services overhaul backed by $312m
The government is consulting on an overhaul of Workforce Australia, the employment services system for jobseekers, with $312.1 million committed over five years. Prime Minister Albanese personally endorsed the engagement strategy in January 2026, which sets up an expert advisory group, a user lived experience panel and a public discussion paper timed to the 2026-27 Budget. Redactions: details and deliberative material, under s.22, s.47C, s.47F and s.47G.
See the disclosure →
|
|
ATTORNEY GENERAL
|
4 found · 2 recommended-read · 2 look
|
| |
READ
·
ATTORNEY GENERAL
· % REDACTED 30%
Judges and top officials declared no conflicts on anti-corruption commission panels
Conflict-of-interest declarations from the panels that chose the National Anti-Corruption Commission's commissioner and deputy commissioners show most members, including former Queensland judge Margaret McMurdo and NACC's Paul Brereton, reported no relevant relationships with candidates. Panel chair Sarah Chidgey disclosed limited professional dealings with two people but judged them no conflict. Redactions: disclosed relationship details under s.22.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
LOOK
·
ATTORNEY GENERAL
· % REDACTED 15%
Who can decide the department's FOI requests set out in signed authorisation
An authorisation signed by department secretary Katherine Jones in 2025 lists the positions empowered to decide freedom-of-information requests made to the Attorney-General's Department. Redactions: contact officer names and details under s.47F and s.11C.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
READ
·
ATTORNEY GENERAL
· % REDACTED 10%
Attorney-General keynoted event for firm suing the Commonwealth
Attorney-General Michelle Rowland delivered the keynote at a May symposium hosted by Maurice Blackburn, one of Australia's largest class action firms, which secured six of the 10 biggest class action settlements in 2025. Her departmental briefing noted the firm is party to significant legal matters against the Commonwealth, though what those matters involve was withheld. Redactions: the firm's litigation against the Commonwealth under s.42(1).
See the disclosure →
|
| |
LOOK
·
ATTORNEY GENERAL
· % REDACTED 10%
Norfolk Island committee accused of undermining UN human rights complaint
Internal talking points prepared for a UN human rights complaint concerning Norfolk Island record criticism that the Australian Government established its governance committee to undermine the case, a claim the department says it has rebutted. Redactions: officials' names and out-of-scope material removed under s.22.
See the disclosure →
|
|
DEFENCE
|
3 found · 1 recommended-read · 2 look
|
| |
READ
·
DEFENCE
· % REDACTED 35%
Palantir wins $7m Defence data contract with pricing withheld
Defence contracted US data-analytics firm Palantir to supply its Foundry platform on a software-as-a-service basis, part of a new Industrial Intelligence Capability meant to speed up decision-making across the life of Defence projects. The three-year deal, awarded via open tender, is worth $7.15m. Redactions: capability requirements, all pricing breakdowns and cost components, staff names, and financial codes, under s22, s47E(d), s47F and s47G.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
LOOK
·
DEFENCE
· % REDACTED 20%
UK firm supplied weapon system for scrapped submarine program
A 2019 deed bound UK company Babcock to Australian conditions on intellectual property, cost transparency and local industry as a subcontractor supplying the weapon discharge system for the SEA1000 Future Submarine Program, the French Naval Group project scrapped in 2021 for AUKUS. Babcock was engaged through prime contractor Naval Group. Redactions: the entire intellectual-property section, escrow arrangements and one recital, under s47G, s33(a)(ii) and s22.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
LOOK
·
DEFENCE
· % REDACTED 50%
Senior officer flagged Air Force flying forecasts as too optimistic
Internal emails show the Deputy Chief of Air Force judged the flying-hour forecasts prepared for the 2026-27 Portfolio Budget Statements too optimistic and pushed to revise them down. Staff consulted aircraft fleets and drafted a new profile, accepting some cuts and defending others. The E-7A Wedgetail and P-8A Poseidon were noted as historically flying below target. Redactions: the deputy chief's annotations, specific hour figures, and names, under s47C, s33(a)(ii), s22 and s47E(c).
See the disclosure →
|
| |
LOOK
·
DFAT
· % REDACTED 75%
Australian diplomats tracked EU's shift toward third-country returns
Australian diplomats in Brussels reported to Canberra on Europe's hardening migration agenda, as the EU moved toward third-country "return hubs" holding people pending removal and EU-wide entry bans. The cables note only 20% of people ordered to leave the EU actually depart, against a backlog of some 1.3 million asylum cases. Redactions: most pages withheld entirely under s.33(a)(iii), s.33(b) and s.22.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
LOOK
·
DFAT
· % REDACTED 30%
Abbott given repeated diplomatic airport help for private Hungary trips
DFAT repeatedly arranged special airport assistance for former prime minister Tony Abbott on at least eight private trips to Hungary between 2023 and 2026. Hungarian authorities at times waived security screening or provided a government car and lounge. Abbott's office called the trips personal business; such as his 2023 visit to address a summit run by an Orbán-aligned think tank. Redactions: names and flight details under s.22 and s.47F, some pages withheld under s.33(b).
See the disclosure →
|
| |
LOOK
·
DFAT
· % REDACTED 10%
Passport office scrapped 10-day standard it never met
The Australian Passport Office met its standard for processing routine passports within 10 business days only 54% of the time in 2021-22, against a 95% target, improving to 77.2% before the measure was discontinued in 2023-24 without ever reaching target. A new standard measuring availability within six weeks, introduced in 2024-25, was met 99.3% of the time. Redactions: 2025-26 figures withheld under s.47E(d).
See the disclosure →
|
| |
LOOK
·
DFAT
· % REDACTED 10%
DFAT tells adults from Japan custody disputes they can get passports
Some Australian children taken to Japan in custody disputes grow up overseas not knowing they can claim an Australian passport. This procedure sets out how consular staff, at a parent's request, write to those children once they turn 18 to tell them they may be eligible. An attached risk register warns the letters could harm the recipient, breach privacy, or be seen by Japan as interference in local custody matters. Redactions: operational detail under s.47E(d), legal advice under s.42(1).
See the disclosure →
|
|
TREASURY
|
2 found · 1 recommended-read · 1 look
|
| |
READ
·
TREASURY
· % REDACTED 15%
Disability scheme to lose 150,000 participants under budget reforms
Confidential pre-budget briefs project the NDIS will fall to 632,379 participants by mid-2030, down from 783,313 in 2026 and 262,979 fewer than earlier forecasts. Reforms will cut scheme growth by $37.8 billion over four years, saving the Commonwealth $152.4 billion by 2036-37, and divert children aged eight and under to a new Thriving Kids program from 2028. Redactions: Cabinet and budget-sensitive material withheld under s.34(1)(a), s.47B and s.47C, plus names under s.22.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
LOOK
·
TREASURY
· % REDACTED 15%
Assistant Treasurer Mulino held private meeting with Commonwealth Bank chief
The Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services, Daniel Mulino, scheduled a 30-minute Teams meeting with the chief executive of the Commonwealth Bank on 30 March 2026. Redactions: names and contact details withheld under s.22 and s.47F.
See the disclosure →
|
|
RBA
|
2 found · 1 recommended-read · 1 look
|
| |
READ
·
RBA
· % REDACTED 55%
Central bank expected budget tax changes to lower house prices
Internal Reserve Bank analysis of the 2026 budget's negative gearing and capital gains tax changes estimated they could lower house prices by two to five per cent, cut new dwelling construction by 35,000 over a decade and slightly lift rents. The material was prepared for Governor Michele Bullock's Senate Estimates and monetary policy press conference appearances. Redactions: staff names under s22; 10 documents withheld in full under s47C and s47E(d).
See the disclosure →
|
| |
LOOK
·
RBA
· % REDACTED 30%
Auditor scandal prompted central bank to seek data assurances
The Reserve Bank sought written confirmation from KPMG that confidential central bank information had not been improperly shared internally, amid public allegations over KPMG's handling of client data and its treatment of a whistleblower. KPMG replied it had found no unauthorised disclosure of RBA information. Emails also show KPMG will end the Bank's FairCall whistleblower hotline by December 2026 under new auditing rules. Redactions: names and contact details under s22 and s47F.
See the disclosure →
|
|
CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY etc
|
6 found · 2 recommended-read · 3 look
|
| |
READ
·
CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY etc
· % REDACTED 5%
Cheaper Home Batteries subsidy skews to NSW and better-off metro seats
Internal figures for the first fortnight of the Cheaper Home Batteries Program (1–15 July 2025) show 2,557 subsidised batteries validated nationally, with NSW taking 46 per cent and inner-metro electorates outpacing rural ones, alongside historical solar-battery counts by federal seat back to 2019. Officials caution the numbers are indicative only and "should not be used publicly." Redactions: names and contact details in the covering email under s.22.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
LOOK
·
CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY etc
· % REDACTED 35%
Antarctic helicopter clips parked plane, grounding it at remote ice site
A helicopter delivering a sling load of four fuel drums struck the right trim tab of a parked Twin Otter aircraft at Carey Nunatak, near Davis Station, on 3 January 2026, after the pilot misjudged the load height by one to two metres. No one was injured, but the aircraft was deemed unserviceable and the crew returned to Davis by helicopter; the accident was rated a serious property-damage incident and reported to the ATSB. Redactions: personal identifiers and witness details under s.22 and s.47F.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
LOOK
·
CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY etc
· % REDACTED 2%
Bowen invites seven ministerial councils to fold climate risk into their agendas
Climate Minister Chris Bowen wrote to the chairs of seven federal-state ministerial councils, covering agriculture, building, financial relations, environment, housing, infrastructure and transport, and planning, proposing that Assistant Minister Josh Wilson attend their 2026 meetings to brief them on the National Climate Risk Assessment and pursue joint action toward net zero. The release includes the draft letters and the December 2025 National Climate Change Partnership framework. Redactions: officials' names and contact details under s.22.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
READ
·
CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY etc
· % REDACTED 3%
Most inspected home batteries found substandard but safe
Nearly two-thirds of home battery installations inspected under the $7.2 billion Cheaper Home Batteries Program were found substandard and 0.8 per cent unsafe. The Senate Estimates brief pack also shows the government has not previously disclosed ending Capacity Investment Scheme negotiations with nine renewable projects, and that DCCEEW made 60 international trips costing $3 million in six months. Redactions: officers' phone numbers (s.22), COP30 and UNGA delegation passages (s.47C(1)), a transmission account figure (s.47G).
See the disclosure →
|
| |
SKIP
·
CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY etc
· % REDACTED 0%
DCCEEW daily staff absences topped 1,000 near year-end
Daily staff absences at DCCEEW ranged from about 900 to more than 1,000 across a two-week period straddling the end of the 2025-26 financial year. Personal or carers leave and annual leave were the largest categories, with annual leave rising to 426 on 3 July. Numbers cover 22 June to 3 July 2026 and exclude flex and executive time-off arrangements. Redactions: none.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
LOOK
·
CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY etc
· % REDACTED 15%
Department retained KPMG internal audits despite firm investigation
DCCEEW decided to continue its KPMG internal audit contracts, including reviews of the Reef package, grants management and social housing energy work, despite media reporting and a Department of Finance significant-event notification about the firm. KPMG's chief operating officer has stepped aside while investigations proceed. Some staff asked to add non-disclosure deeds; the department recommended no contract changes for now. Redactions: officials' and KPMG staff names, emails and phone numbers (s.22, s.47F).
See the disclosure →
|
|
EDUCATION
|
2 found · 1 look
|
| |
SKIP
·
EDUCATION
· % REDACTED 0%
Workplace absences peaked at nearly 340 in late June
Daily staff absences at the Department of Education peaked at 339 on 26 June, with planned leave running roughly double unplanned leave across the fortnight. Unplanned absences, covering sick and carer's leave, fell steadily from 105 on 22 June to 62 by 3 July, while planned leave such as annual and long service leave climbed to a high of 275 on 3 July. Redactions: none.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
LOOK
·
EDUCATION
· % REDACTED 60%
Childcare fraud team uses intelligence relationship-mapping software
Education's childcare financial integrity unit uses an intelligence system called CCIS, built on IBM i2 iBase and Analyst's Notebook software that maps relationships between people and entities, used by its fraud teams. Records cover a $180,000 licence renewal, $51,555 invoice, and a hosting arrangement with DEWR. Education's fraud team took on its own licences after a machinery-of-government split. Redactions: most of the hosting agreement and commercial pricing under s.22, s.47E(d) and s.47G.
See the disclosure →
|
|
INDUSTRY
|
6 found · 2 recommended-read · 4 look
|
| |
LOOK
·
INDUSTRY
· % REDACTED 35%
Government readied AI deal and PM meeting for Anthropic
Correspondence between Industry Minister Tim Ayres's and Assistant Minister Andrew Charlton's offices with Anthropic shows the government preparing to sign a collaboration deal with the AI firm, its first under the National AI Plan. Redactions: names, security and commercial detail, under s.22, s.33, s.45, s.47C, s.47F and s.47G.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
LOOK
·
INDUSTRY
· % REDACTED 90%
Fuel tax credit discourages clean investment, Fortescue tells government
Fortescue used a meeting with the industry and science ministers to press for changes to the Diesel Fuel Tax Credit, a scheme refunding businesses the tax paid on fuel used in production. The miner argues the credit discourages investment in decarbonisation and electrification . Redactions: almost all content withheld as out of scope under s.22, with contact details under s.47F.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
READ
·
INDUSTRY
· % REDACTED 65%
Government coordinated PsiQuantum's public messaging as Brisbane project fell behind
Australian government agencies coordinated closely with PsiQuantum on public and parliamentary messaging about its taxpayer-backed Brisbane quantum computer, reviewing the company's talking points and receiving its embargoed press release on a new chief executive to prepare for Senate Estimates. The records also show the project missed its 2025 construction start, with groundbreaking stalled pending airport planning steps. Redactions: commercial detail withheld under s.45 and s.47(1); out-of-scope and personal material under s.22.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
LOOK
·
INDUSTRY
· % REDACTED 25%
Minister's office met APA on bringing forward NT gas pipelines
An adviser in Resources Minister Madeleine King's office met pipeline operator APA in April to discuss bringing forward pipelines carrying gas from the NT to the east coast market, following earlier talks on accelerating projects. Redactions: an adviser's assessment withheld under s.47(1)(b) and s.47C.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
READ
·
INDUSTRY
· % REDACTED 5%
Tax advisers tell regulators R&D record-keeping guidance inadequate for years
Tax agents and R&D consultants told the regulators of the Research and Development Tax Incentive that guidance on which records satisfy an eligibility claim remains inadequate and inconsistently applied, with one saying promised guides had never materialised since 2010. Redactions: officials' names and contact details under s 22 and s 47F.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
LOOK
·
INDUSTRY
· % REDACTED 15%
Brief warned smelter near liquidation, said workers may not know
A ministerial brief warned Australia's only manganese smelter, Liberty Bell Bay in George Town, Tasmania, faced significant risk of liquidation within weeks once non-wage funding ran out around 20 May, noting this may be unknown to the workers requesting the meeting. A $3 million lifeline covered wages only to 19 May. Redactions: names and deliberative advice under s 22, s 47F and s 47C.
See the disclosure →
|
|
VETERAN'S AFFAIRS
|
1 found · 1 recommended-read
|
| |
READ
·
VETERAN'S AFFAIRS
· % REDACTED 25%
Full-time serving members shut out of veterans' complex-case support
Internal Department of Veterans' Affairs guidance for its Triage and Connect unit, which handles complex and high-risk clients including those at risk of self-harm, shows full-time serving ADF members and their families are ineligible for coordinated case management because they can access support through the ADF instead. Reservists and their families remain eligible. DVA notes it does not typically have visibility of a member's service status. Redactions: staff details under s.47E(d) and s.47F.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
SKIP
·
FINANCE
· % REDACTED 0%
Staff absences peaked days after the financial year ended
Another in a series of FOIs to a range of departments re staff absences. Staff absences at the Department of Finance peaked on 3 July 2026, when 169 workers took annual leave, the highest in a fortnight requested by the FOI. Redactions: none.
See the disclosure →
|
|
INFRASTRUCTURE
|
3 found · 1 recommended-read · 1 look
|
| |
SKIP
·
INFRASTRUCTURE
· % REDACTED 100%
Classification records sought for eSafety cases and three films
No documents were published to the disclosure log for these two distinct requests. The first concerns the initial classification of two eSafety investigations, INV-2025-05242 and INV-2025-05226. The second concerns the classification of three films: 'Soldier Blue' (MA15+), 'Juror #2' (M) and 'Toy Story 5' (G). Copies have been requested; details to follow in a future edition.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
READ
·
INFRASTRUCTURE
· % REDACTED 10%
KPMG barred from new Commonwealth work after leadership resigns
The department reviewed its exposure to KPMG after the firm's CEO and head of audit resigned over whistleblower allegations of client data misuse. Internal emails show it holds four active and four inactive KPMG contracts and uses the firm for internal audits. Finance later barred KPMG from new Commonwealth procurement until 30 September 2026, pending an independent review of the firm's governance and ethics. Redactions: names and contact details withheld under s.22.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
LOOK
·
INFRASTRUCTURE
· % REDACTED 35%
Three jurisdictions paid $3m to adopt national truck regulator
A 2012 agreement records the Commonwealth paying $3 million, $1 million each to Tas, the ACT and NT, to bring smaller jurisdictions onto the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, the body created to apply one set of truck laws nationally. Earlier negotiation records show WA's objections on funding and state truck rules repeatedly ignored, with jurisdictions seeking clauses to opt out if funding stayed unresolved. Redactions: most jurisdictions' comments and internal responses withheld as irrelevant under s.22.
See the disclosure →
|
|
AGRICULTURE
|
4 found · 2 recommended-read · 2 look
|
| |
READ
·
AGRICULTURE
· % REDACTED 10%
Bird flu risk drove secret expert panel review of parrot imports
Australia's assessment of disease risks from importing parrots and other psittacine birds identified avian influenza among the hazards, informing pre-import conditions for these species. The March 2025 final report is public, but a July 2021 expert panel review of the department's earlier draft, chaired by Joanne Daly, is withheld almost in full, as are the risk review's policy-review chapter and hazard appendix. Redactions: expert panel findings, process and equivalence sections under s.47E(d) and s.33(a)(iii).
See the disclosure →
|
| |
LOOK
·
AGRICULTURE
· % REDACTED 20%
Bird flu in dying seabird tested as strain hits Antarctic wildlife
WA authorities investigated a suspect bird flu case in a wild brown skua found sick at Cape Le Grand National Park in June 2026, with confirmatory testing at CSIRO to determine whether it was the H5N1 strain devastating wildlife worldwide. The records show the strain confirmed in six species at Heard and McDonald Islands, including seals and penguins, while mainland Australia stayed free of it. Media releases, talking points and briefings coordinate the response. Redactions: officials' detailss under s.22 and s.47F, some deliberative content under s.47C.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
READ
·
AGRICULTURE
· % REDACTED 5%
Lobby group urged minister to cap big diesel tax claims at $50m
Farmers for Climate Action sent Minister Julie Collins an embargoed report proposing that Fuel Tax Credit Scheme claims be capped at $50 million per claimant a year for the largest users, while protecting the farm diesel rebate for agriculture and redirecting the savings into regional grid upgrades and on-farm electrification. The group said focus-group research found mid-to-large farmers backed capping big corporate claims. Redactions: sender's name and contact details under s.47F.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
LOOK
·
AGRICULTURE
· % REDACTED 0%
Biosecurity workforce grew by a quarter as contractors halved
Staffing in the department's Biosecurity Operations Division rose from 2,030 to 2,472 people between mid-2022 and mid-2026, driven by growth in mid-level APS4 to APS6 roles, while contractor numbers fell from 217 to 40. NSW, Qld and WA saw the largest increases, and the ACT workforce shrank. Released as two headcount tables by classification and by location. Redactions: none.
See the disclosure →
|
|
SERVICES AUSTRALIA
|
2 found · 2 skip
|
| |
SKIP
·
SERVICES AUSTRALIA
· % REDACTED 0%
Staff took half a million hours of leave in single fortnight
Services Australia staff recorded 510,627 hours of leave across the fortnight from 22 June to 3 July 2026, dominated by annual leave (173,332 hours) and personal leave (178,368 hours). Daily totals climbed toward the end of the period, peaking above 54,000 hours on 2 and 3 July, the final days before the new financial year. Unauthorised absence was negligible at 381 hours. Redactions: none.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
SKIP
·
SERVICES AUSTRALIA
· % REDACTED 100%
Internal staff manuals for assessing COVID vaccine injury claims
Six Operational Blueprints set out how staff assess claims under the COVID-19 Vaccine Claims Scheme, the program compensating people harmed by COVID vaccines, covering registration, assessment, finalising recommendations and review requests, valid from September 2023 to September 2024. No documents are published to the disclosure log for this entry; they are marked available upon request only. A copy has been requested and details will follow in a future edition.
See the disclosure →
|
|
NDIS + NDIS COMMISSION
|
2 found · 1 look
|
| |
LOOK
·
NDIS + NDIS COMMISSION
· % REDACTED 0%
More than 31,000 registered NDIS providers never billed the scheme
Of the providers registered with the NDIS since it began in July 2017, 31,612 have never submitted a single payment request through the scheme. The figure was released as a one-line response with no further breakdown. Redactions: none.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
SKIP
·
NDIS + NDIS COMMISSION
· % REDACTED 100%
Three NDIS Commission FOI answers withheld from disclosure log
The three requests sought: Commission headcount and APS/labour-hire numbers by division down to Assistant Commissioner unit level at 30 June 2026; documents showing which roles were classified as core work under the Strategic Commissioning Framework in 2024-25 and 2025-26; and internal review (reconsideration) volumes for closed complaints from January to June 2026, split by whether they met the statutory timeframe. No documents are published to the disclosure log for these entries; copies have been requested and details will follow in a future edition.
See the disclosure →
|
|
IP AUSTRALIA
|
1 found · 1 look
|
| |
LOOK
·
IP AUSTRALIA
· % REDACTED 0%
Plant patent experts charged $350 to certify new crop varieties
Materials given to the accredited experts, known as Qualified Persons, who certify plant breeder's rights applications for new plant varieties in Australia. The release includes template notices showing a $350 fee for designating or renewing a Qualified Person, a full training course covering their role and the application forms, and three blank standard forms including certification and time-extension requests. Redactions: none.
See the disclosure →
|
|
OAIC
|
3 found · 2 recommended-read · 1 look
|
| |
LOOK
·
OAIC
· % REDACTED 70%
Consultant panel contract released with most terms blacked out
A template head agreement setting the standard terms under which firms on the Commonwealth's management advisory services panel provide consulting to government, covering privacy, security and data-breach obligations for contractors handling personal information. The bulk of the deed, including most clauses and the contractor's name, is withheld. Redactions: large portions of the agreement removed as out of scope under s.22.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
READ
·
OAIC
· % REDACTED 5%
Privacy watchdog's internal guide to extending FOI deadlines released
The OAIC's own extension-of-time training materials set out how staff decide whether agencies can extend the 30-day statutory period for processing FOI requests, including step-by-step drafting instructions and the s.15AB grant and decline decision templates. The materials note delegations sit at APS 5 level and flag that agencies "don't always get" the dates right. Redactions: minor withholding of personal information under s.22.
See the disclosure →
|
| |
READ
·
OAIC
· % REDACTED 50%
Privacy regulator warned age-check trial overstated its privacy claims
Australia's privacy regulator repeatedly warned the government's Age Assurance Technology Trial that its preliminary findings overstated privacy protections, objecting that calling age-check technologies "privacy-preserving" was unsupported when no assessment against the Privacy Act had been done. OAIC pressed these concerns with the trial operator, eSafety and two departments across several months. Redactions: deliberative material under s.47C, agency operations under s.47E(d), and personal information under s.47F and s.22.
See the disclosure →
|
|
Quiet this rotation · no releases from SOCIAL SERVICES, ATO, ASIC, APRA, AUSTRAC, AEC.
|
|
If someone in your world would find FOI Weekly useful, please forward it to them.
Same rotation Monday · 09:00 AEST
— ANI
|
|