The agency responsible for regulating the aged care sector spent nearly $30,000 hiring a top-tier law firm to respond to a Freedom of Information request from ABC News.
The agency responsible for regulating the aged care sector spent nearly $30,000 hiring a top-tier law firm to respond to a Freedom of Information request from ABC News.It defended the cost, arguing it was in relation to "multiple" enquiriesAccording to a document published on the Commonwealth's AusTender website, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission contracted Clayton Utz to advise on what it described as an "FOI request from ABC re. COVID-19".
The value of the contract dated October 7 was $28,900 — almost double the cost of a mid-level home care package. The nature of the documents the ABC was seeking was not revealed in the tender document but in a statement the ACQSC said there were "multiple" FOI requests which extended "well beyond a single day's work".
"The commission routinely seeks legal advice in responding to FOI requests to ensure that we comply with all relevant legislation," the statement said. "If the commission's legal staff are unavailable to provide this advice, a decision can be made to obtain external legal advice."The FOI requests appear to have been lodged after ACQSC Commissioner Janet Anderson appeared before the Aged Care Royal Commission and revealed the number of quality checks being carried out on nursing homes
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