66 replies to this topic

[xu2308]

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Edited by xu2308, 16 February 2018 - 08:51 PM.

[xu2308]

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Edited by xu2308, 16 February 2018 - 08:51 PM.

[Zook]

Keep voting for a smaller public service. I'm a fitter/machinist by trade and not an ACT public servant, in the interests of full disclosure, lol.

[xu2308]

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Edited by xu2308, 16 February 2018 - 08:51 PM.

[Tyre biter]

Righto Al - you know best.

No, scratch that - this is your business and so how you go about it is entirely your... well, business I guess.

I will say, the Ombudsman will do bugger-all for you - at least in the short term or even medium term, if ever.

FFS Al, if you go that big stick route then what comes... well it comes I guess.

I say again, best of luck with it, but don't say you were not warned to play nicely - recruit as opposed to destroy relationships.

If the micro-fische machine is indeed buggered then what you really need is investment and buy-in from those concerned as opposed to finger pointing, feet stamping, breath holding and threats of dobbing to mum - sometimes one needs to take a tac hammer as opposed to a sledge hammer if one is to create something worthwhile - that sort of sentiment.

I sincerely, genuinely and every other descriptor in this vein hope the feint of your 'shock and awe' campaign works, for I fear you will get nothing if it does not.

Please, keep the toys in the cot Al - we so want to see what you can find and you need the ACT RTA in your corner in order to do so.

Cheers, TB

[xu2308]

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Edited by xu2308, 16 February 2018 - 08:50 PM.

[Zook]

Al, who said no? Sounds like your case might be wafer thin, and so doomed to fail.

[Tyre biter]

The person who rang me today more or less said the Manager said NO to the FOI Act,  So what other choice do I have TB.

I guess you ask in a genuine way the reason/s (at law or otherwise) for not fulfilling your FOI request.  You ask if you can both hit the 're-set button' and start again, tell them not just what but why you want this information (let your passion out to unravel this story to are tracing) and let them discuss the impediments they face to discern from them what means they have, you have or you both collectively have around the same.  It might be that in order to get around the broken equipment that you need to ask if you could come to Canberra, sit in a room with a torch and magnifying glass and go for it - heck knows?  But I do know that you need an advocate and not an adversary.

 

This all opinion but I say this with some degree of knowledge: If you go the Ombudsman half-cocked, ie: without a definitive clue as to the basis for rejecting your FOI application then you are bound to draw a blank.  That is, you may well win a complaint as to poor/inappropriate handling of your FOI request, however that outcome doesn't mean that you will have the information disclosed to you when all is said and done.

 

There is nothing wrong with your contesting 'the system' Al - you just need to know how to massage it and where/when to turn it back on itself hence my post to you several days ago concerning you reading, knowing and reciting the ACT Government's policy on information disclosure and transparency in decision making - Google is your friend - I commend it to you.

And so brush up on the ACT Human Rights Commission as well is my final tip, and use all of these elements in an attempt to collaborate and if need be to coerce the information as opposed to threaten. And if relationships are too badly damaged to remedy, then don't play your hand and announce your going to the third umpire with the bat and ball in hand - blind side them with these bodies of review to advocate on your behalf but again, seek their help, don't tell them what they need to/must do - they will turn off as quickly as the ACT RTA has.

 

Cheers, TB

[xu2308]

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Edited by xu2308, 16 February 2018 - 08:50 PM.

[xu2308]

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Edited by xu2308, 16 February 2018 - 08:50 PM.

[xu2308]

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Edited by xu2308, 16 February 2018 - 08:49 PM.

[Zook]

Haha, no mate.

[Tyre biter]

All well and good to follow TB's advice, but why the frOck should you have to?

Why the frOck is it so frOcking hard for scum sucking bottom of the barrel piece of shit public servants to actually do there frOcking jobs? You know, the frOcking job were paying them to do? Us, the frOcking tax payers, the frOcking Daisy Chains taht pay there frOcking wages?

 

Why the frOck is it so hard? Honest question, I cant frOcking understand it?

That's a broad brush Bomber - about a mile and a half wide by my reckoning.

There is a litany of people in various forms of public service who have display exemplary behaviour as a matter of course - to tar all of them in such a manner is a tad unfair IMO.

As to why- as Al said - the micro-fiche is unreadable nowadays - job complete - end of story.

It is a pretty straight forward explanation really, and not exactly an illegitimate claim in so far as a public servant not fulfilling a FOI request warranting their being slandered as you have done - assuming the reason provided to Al is reliable of course.

And the argument about you paying their wages through your tax - really?

That PS pay tax like everyone else is a moot point, or it should be, and you know what, you actually need them, every bloody day, in just about everything you do - don't believe me, then go live in a tin-pot regime someplace and you will see what life becomes without a public service in any guise let alone an effective one.  News Bulletin: There is no front-line public service (nurses, teachers, emergency service workers, electricity workers, sewerage plant operators, et al) without the support functions behind - ever.

Not defending folks in the PS who seemingly put more effort into making things harder and not doing a given task rather than simply doing it, but you know what, the red tape is typically a result of folks burning the system and/or political masters who wish to pursue a particular agenda.

And more importantly, this outlook or culture is far, far from being peculiar to the public sector - to suggest otherwise is facetious IMO.

One could make similar claims about service departments at car dealerships for example but I suspect that whilst the perceptions we have of the same are perhaps reliable, they are the product of dodgy customers and managers.

Go have a beer with a PS - you will find they are not 'scum sucking bottom of the barrel pieces of shit', rather they are entirely like you and just as exhausted with 'the system' as you are - most try to make it better if only in increments.

I found the same when I went for a schooner or ten with the service manager of my local Holden dealership some years ago.

Cheers, TB

 

Vic Roads Archives understand the FOI Act and abide by it and 3 Cheers for them, Long live Victoria. Unlike ACT RTA that should set the EXAMPLE for FOI as Canberra is the seat of power, Shame on ACT RTA.

Al,

The ACT, as in the ACT Government, as in the ACT RTA is not the 'seat of power' brother, but I suspect you are aware of this and know not to confuse the Commonwealth Parliament with this big country town in which it is situated - the bow you draw is as such, a long one but I understand your frustration.

 

Have you asked if you can come and inspect the micro-fische and see what you can do with it yourself?

I mean if it is buggered, what harm could your fiddling with it do?

If so, come to Torana Nationals in November and take out two birds with one stone.

 

Given the previous reasoning provided to you - broken bulb in an outdated machine - I am dubious of this most recent explanation provided to you - it may well be true, but it is very far from what was last told to you.

 

And so have a look at the 'Contact my Minister portal': https://www.contactm...ter.act.gov.au/

I suggest sending in a SHORT enquiry to the Ministry, that SUCCINCTLY explains what you are after and why, together with the disparity in reason/s provided to you for not fulfilling the requests to date, and thereafter IN A NICE WAY ask for the truth as opposed to the information outright.

Ask if there is actually an impediment, what the impediment is, and what can be done by ACT Government and/or you to alleviate the same.

Failing that - go here: http://www.cmd.act.g...u/functions/foi

 

After that, I am out of ideas sorry other than the Ombudsman if the reason/s are something other than broken machines or dilapidated mediums on which the data is stored.

 

Please don't give up at this juncture unless the truth of the matter is indeed that the format on which the information is stored is beyond repair - this car of yours has a story to be told and which we all want to hear.

 

Best of luck.

Cheers, TB

Edited by Tyre biter, 05 May 2016 - 08:13 PM.

[xu2308]

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Edited by xu2308, 16 February 2018 - 08:49 PM.

[Zook]

Does anyone on less than $18k/yr even pay tax?

[xu2308]

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Edited by xu2308, 16 February 2018 - 08:49 PM.

[myss427]

Problem with Canberra at the moment is the Public service has been cut to the bone, the days of lots of guys hanging by the water cooler are gone. I was in the private sector for 30 years and thought like you Bomber, joined the public service a few years ago, after being retrenched twice in a short period of time, the Canberra economy has turned to shit from government cut backs killing private enterprise. Every day budgets are tightening, jobs are going and less people to do the little things. With the new budget calling for more inefficiencies of 1.2 billion its only going to get worse.

[Redslur]

Don't worry Brett, we are just scum sucking bottom of the barrel pieces of shit...

[Zook]

My public servant friends tell me that it's not much of a job but it sure beats working for a living, lol.

[xu2308]

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Edited by xu2308, 16 February 2018 - 08:48 PM.

[Zook]

Al, you are dreaming mate. Even if one of our public servants wanted to look up your stuff they couldn't. Cos unless your crap is archived at the public servants home (which it isn't cos it's back in the office on the fiche) then they can't access it! No self-respecting public servant actually 'goes to work' anymore. They 'log in from home'. Lol. And I've never heard of a remotely accessible fiche machine. Especially one with a 'blown bulb'. Good work if you can get it. The whole day is a break! They do alright those public servants. And to be fair most of the important shit still gets done.