[LINK] RFI: Govt Policy re Correspondence Format

[Roger Clarke]

I continue to have to work on a small number of agencies that either:
(1)  send replies to soft-copy by snail-mail;  and/or
(2)  send soft-copies, but as scans not in text-extractable format
      (i.e. they print to paper and put that through a scanner)

The reason used to be lack of understanding.  But it's abundantly 
clear that the remaining agencies are just being obstructive. 
Example below.

Does anyone know of a policy that such behaviour is in breach of?

AGIMO?  OAIC?

I mostly have the problem with Clth agencies, but State policies 
would be fine as well, as a means of embarrassing the Clth.

Thanks!

_______

I wrote to government agency:
>Thanks for the copy of the letter that you snail-mailed to me.
>But that copy is just a scan.
>What we would appreciate is a copy from which text can be extracted -
so that we're in a position to quote sections in our reply, without
the effort and errors involved in re-typing the text.
>You should be able to print-to-PDF from your word processing software.

Govt agency replied (after a week's delay and a follow-up):
>As it is not the agency's policy to send out letters in any form other
than PDF we are seeking advice as to whether we can in fact make an
exception in your case.  I hope that we are in a position to give you
an answer either later today or tomorrow.


-- 
Roger Clarke                                 http://www.rogerclarke.com/

Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd      78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA
                    Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916
mailto:Roger.Clarke at xamax.com.au                http://www.xamax.com.au/

Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Law               University of NSW
Visiting Professor in Computer Science    Australian National University