Architecture & Design attempted to acquire information from the NSW Department of Housing via a Freedom of Information legislation request, only to be slammed with a $2,100 bill.
The information, relating to the National Housing Affordability Scheme, seemed straight forward enough, and even the $30 application fee seemed reasonable. However, the response from the department’s Freedom of Information Unit was anything but straight forward.
They claim the information requested, documentation relating to the application by a company for inclusion in the scheme, would result in 70 hours of work for the department.
This included: 25 hours for foiling, reading and analysing each document defined within the scope of the request, a further 25 hours for considering and determining whether each folio was in accordance with the FOI Act, 10 hours for preparing the FOI consultation letters that would allow the department to obtain views of all relevant third parties in accordance with the FOI Act, four hours for collating, analysing and considering each folio in accordance with the FOI Act and three hours for preparing a legal determination and a schedule of documentation.
The letter stated that these were “estimates only” and may in fact be higher or lower, which would in then affect the cost of the application.
A $1,050 bond would also be required, “to commence processing of the request”.
You may be wondering what this publication is after, for it to be worth more than $2,000, but you will be surprised to hear it was nothing as serious as a failed development application.
Architecture & Design was simply curious to see that the applicant awarded the highest number of dwellings in NSW under the HRAS could not be found in the phone book or on the internet and no details about the corporation could be found anywhere other than an Australian Business Number which featured no contact details or address.
For those also considering obtaining government information through FOI, we suggest you make sure your pockets are deep.
