Request for Documents Related to Australian Support for Israel and Impact on Palestine
: Deborah-May: Torrens made this Freedom of Information request to Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
Freedom of Information Coordinator,
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
PO Box 6500
Canberra ACT 2600
Australia
Dear Freedom of Information Coordinator,
Under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth), I am requesting access to documents held by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet concerning the following:
Policies and Directives: All current policies and directives regarding Australia’s support and relations with Israel, including but not limited to military, financial, and diplomatic support.
Agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs): Copies of all agreements, MOUs, and any other formal arrangements made between the Australian government and the government of Israel from January 2000 to the present.
Financial Transactions: Detailed account transactions and financial records showing any form of support or aid provided to Israel by the Australian government. This includes, but is not limited to, monetary aid, military aid, and subsidies.
Correspondence: Copies of correspondence between the Australian government officials and Israeli government officials that discuss or relate to the support provided by Australia, particularly in the context of military and financial aid.
Reports and Briefings: All reports, briefings, and assessments prepared by or for the Australian government departments concerning the impact of Australian support on the political and humanitarian situation in Palestine.
Minutes of Meetings: All minutes or records of meetings between Australian and Israeli officials that discuss matters related to the policies, agreements, and financial transactions listed above.
I request that these documents be provided in electronic format where possible. If certain documents are exempt from release, I request that you provide an index of these documents along with the reasons for exemption as required by the FOI Act.
Please advise of any charges that may apply for the processing of this request. Please also let me know if you require any further clarification that may assist in locating and compiling the information.
Thank you for considering my request. I look forward to your prompt acknowledgement and response within the statutory time frame of thirty (30) days as stipulated by the FOI Act.
Yours sincerely,
Deborah
Genocide Watchdog
OFFICIAL
Reference: FOI/2024/217
Dear Ms Torrens
Thank you for your email of 11 July 2024 in which you made a request under
the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act) to the Department of the
Prime Minister and Cabinet (the Department).
You set out the terms of the request as follows:
Under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth), I am requesting access to
documents held by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
concerning the following:
Policies and Directives: All current policies and directives regarding
Australia’s support and relations with Israel, including but not limited
to military, financial, and diplomatic support.
Agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs): Copies of all
agreements, MOUs, and any other formal arrangements made between the
Australian government and the government of Israel from January 2000 to
the present.
Financial Transactions: Detailed account transactions and financial
records showing any form of support or aid provided to Israel by the
Australian government. This includes, but is not limited to, monetary aid,
military aid, and subsidies.
Correspondence: Copies of correspondence between the Australian government
officials and Israeli government officials that discuss or relate to the
support provided by Australia, particularly in the context of military and
financial aid.
Reports and Briefings: All reports, briefings, and assessments prepared by
or for the Australian government departments concerning the impact of
Australian support on the political and humanitarian situation in
Palestine.
Minutes of Meetings: All minutes or records of meetings between Australian
and Israeli officials that discuss matters related to the policies,
agreements, and financial transactions listed above.
Timeframe for receiving your decision
The 30 day statutory period for processing your request commenced from the
day after the Department received your request, you should therefore
expect a decision from us by 12 August 2024. The processing period of 30
days may be extended in certain circumstances and we will write to you
separately regarding any extension of time.
Charges
Agencies may decide that an applicant is liable to pay a charge in respect
of a request for access to documents. If the Department decides that you
are liable to pay a charge, we will send you a preliminary assessment of
the charge as soon as possible.
Publication of documents
Please note that information released under the FOI Act may later be
published online on our disclosure log at
[1]https://www.pmc.gov.au/government/depart...,
subject to certain exceptions. If you think you might wish to raise any
objections to the publication of any of the information which may be
released to you please contact us by email at [2][DPMC request email]. If you
do wish to object to the publication of information, you would need to
provide supporting reasons.
Exclusion of officers’ names and contact details
For documents that fall within scope of the request, it is the
Department’s policy to withhold:
· any person’s signature;
· the names and contact details of Australian Public Service
officers not in the Senior Executive Service (SES);
· the mobile or direct numbers of SES officers;
· the names and contact details of Ministerial staff at a level
below Chief of Staff.
If you consider that the information categorised above is relevant to the
terms of your request please let us know at [3][DPMC request email], otherwise
we will take it that you agree to that information being excluded from the
scope of your request (that is, the information will be treated as
irrelevant and deleted from any documents for release). The names and
other details of SES officers will not be withheld unless there is some
reason for that information to be exempt from release.
Further information on FOI processing can be found at the website of the
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
[4]https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor....
Kind regards,
Lianna | Adviser
FOI Section[]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
p. (02) 6271 5849
Ngunnawal Country | One National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box
6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [5][email address] w. [6]pmc.gov.au
______________________________________________________________________
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the
message from your computer system.
______________________________________________________________________
References
Visible links
1. https://www.pmc.gov.au/government/depart...
2. mailto:[DPMC request email]
3. mailto:[DPMC request email]
4. https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor...
5. mailto:[email address]
6. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
Lianna | Adviser
FOI Section
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
Dear Lianna,
Re: FOI Request Reference: FOI/2024/217
Thank you for your detailed response to my Freedom of Information Act 1982 request, dated 11 July 2024, regarding Australia’s policies, agreements, and transactions with Israel.
I appreciate the Department's effort in outlining the scope and timeframe for processing my request. I understand that I should expect a decision by 12 August 2024 and I look forward to reviewing the documents.
Regarding the charges, I await your preliminary assessment. Please provide the estimate at your earliest convenience so that I can make necessary arrangements.
I also acknowledge the Department's policy to exclude certain personal information from the documents to be released. I agree with the exclusion of officers’ names and contact details as specified, except those of SES officers, as their roles may be directly relevant to my request. I do not require the withheld information of officers below the SES level unless it directly impacts the context of the disclosed materials.
Additionally, I understand that the information released under the FOI Act might be published online on your disclosure log, and I will communicate separately if I have any objections concerning the publication of specific information once I review the contents of the documents.
Thank you once again for your assistance. Please keep me updated on any developments or requirements related to my request.
Kind regards
Deborah
OFFICIAL
Dear Deborah ,
Please find attached correspondence regarding your request under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982.
Yours sincerely
Tina
Adviser
FOI Section[]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
p. (02) 6271 5849
Ngunnawal Country, One National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box
6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [1][email address] w. [2]pmc.gov.au
[3]cid:image001.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0[4]cid:image002.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0
[5]cid:image003.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0 The
Department
acknowledges
and pays
respect to
the past,
present and
emerging
Elders and
Traditional
Custodians
of Country,
and the
continuation
of cultural,
spiritual
and
educational
practices of
Aboriginal
and Torres
Strait
Islander
peoples.
______________________________________________________________________
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the
message from your computer system.
______________________________________________________________________
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
3. https://twitter.com/pmc_gov_au
4. https://www.linkedin.com/company/departm...
OFFICIAL
Dear Deborah ,
Please find attached correspondence regarding your request under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982.
Yours sincerely
Tina
Adviser
FOI Section[]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
p. (02) 6271 5849
Ngunnawal Country, One National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box
6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [1][email address] w. [2]pmc.gov.au
[3]cid:image001.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0[4]cid:image002.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0
[5]cid:image003.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0 The
Department
acknowledges
and pays
respect to
the past,
present and
emerging
Elders and
Traditional
Custodians
of Country,
and the
continuation
of cultural,
spiritual
and
educational
practices of
Aboriginal
and Torres
Strait
Islander
peoples.
______________________________________________________________________
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the
message from your computer system.
______________________________________________________________________
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
3. https://twitter.com/pmc_gov_au
4. https://www.linkedin.com/company/departm...
OFFICIAL
Dear Deborah ,
Please find attached correspondence regarding your request under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982.
Yours sincerely
Tina
Adviser
FOI Section[]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
p. (02) 6271 5849
Ngunnawal Country, One National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box
6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [1][email address] w. [2]pmc.gov.au
[3]cid:image001.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0[4]cid:image002.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0
[5]cid:image003.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0 The
Department
acknowledges
and pays
respect to
the past,
present and
emerging
Elders and
Traditional
Custodians
of Country,
and the
continuation
of cultural,
spiritual
and
educational
practices of
Aboriginal
and Torres
Strait
Islander
peoples.
______________________________________________________________________
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the
message from your computer system.
______________________________________________________________________
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
3. https://twitter.com/pmc_gov_au
4. https://www.linkedin.com/company/departm...
Dear Janelle Dedakis,
Reference Number: FOI 2024-217-219-MUL.
Thank you for your response dated 8 August 2024, regarding my Freedom of Information (FOI) requests (FOI 2024-217-219-MUL). I appreciate your thorough explanation of the practical refusal reasons under section 24AA of the FOI Act and your offer to assist in revising my request to enable its processing.
I understand the challenges posed by the breadth and complexity of my initial requests and the potential strain on the Department’s resources. To facilitate the processing of my request, I propose the following revisions:
Narrowing the Timeframe: I will limit the scope of my request to documents created or received between January 2023 and July 2024. This should substantially reduce the volume of documents and focus the search on more recent materials.
Specific Document Types: Instead of requesting a wide range of documents, I will focus on formal correspondence, briefings, and submissions specifically related to Australia's support provided to Israel and Palestine, as well as any communications sent to the United Nations on these matters.
Clarification of Departmental Relevance: I understand that not all aspects of my request may fall within the purview of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Therefore, I am particularly interested in documents prepared by or for the Prime Minister, including any advice provided by your Department regarding Australia’s position on Israel and Palestine in international forums.
Please let me know if these revisions make my request more manageable and whether they address the concerns raised in your notice. I am open to further refining the scope of my request if necessary, and I would appreciate any additional guidance you can provide.
Thank you for your assistance in this matter. I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Deborah-May
OFFICIAL
Dear Deborah
Thank you for your email narrowing the terms of your request which was very helpful. The Department will process your request in its revised terms.
You may also be interested in the following documents at: https://www.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/fil... recently published on the Department's disclosure log which may be somewhat related to your request.
To clarify, could you please confirm that the documents available on the PM&C FOI disclosure log are excluded from the scope of your request? Your agreement to exclude these publicly available documents will assist the Department in progressing your request.
We will contact you again if we have further questions.
Kind regards
Tina | Adviser
FOI Section
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
p. (02) 6271 5849
Ngunnawal Country, One National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box 6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [email address] w. pmc.gov.au
The Department acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and emerging Elders and Traditional Custodians of Country, and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Dear FOI,
I agree to exclude the publicly available documents but not the others, which have not been made available to the public.
Yours sincerely,
Deborah-May
OFFICIAL
Thanks again Deborah.
A decision on your request is due by 14 August 2024. Regrettably, the Department is not currently in a position to finalise the decision by this date. Accordingly, we are seeking your agreement to a 21-day extension of time under section 15AA of the FOI Act. The additional time will be used to conduct document searches, assess the documents for release under the FOI Act, consult stakeholders and prepare the decision.
If you agree to this request for a 21-day extension of time, we ask that you confirm this in writing via return email no later than Wednesday 14 August 2024.
Kind regards
Tina | Adviser
FOI Section
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
p. (02) 6271 5849
Ngunnawal Country, One National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box 6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [email address] w. pmc.gov.au
The Department acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and emerging Elders and Traditional Custodians of Country, and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
OFFICIAL
Dear Ms Torrens
I write in relation to your FOI Request in the following terms (revised):
Narrowing the Timeframe: I will limit the scope of my request to documents
created or received between January 2023 and July 2024. This should
substantially reduce the volume of documents and focus the search on more
recent materials.
Specific Document Types: Instead of requesting a wide range of documents,
I will focus on formal correspondence, briefings, and submissions
specifically related to Australia's support provided to Israel and
Palestine, as well as any communications sent to the United Nations on
these matters.
Clarification of Departmental Relevance: I understand that not all aspects
of my request may fall within the purview of the Department of the Prime
Minister and Cabinet. Therefore, I am particularly interested in documents
prepared by or for the Prime Minister, including any advice provided by
your Department regarding Australia’s position on Israel and Palestine in
international forums.
Apologies for the delay in processing your request, the Department has
undertaken fresh searches for documents related to your revised request.
Unfortunately, the scope is still too broad to process and we require some
additional information from you to enable us to conduct more targeted
searches.
In relation to your request for “formal correspondence, briefings, and
submissions specifically related to Australia's support provided to Israel
and Palestine”, it would assist if you could specify what kind of support
you are seeking information on, for example, financial, humanitarian/aid,
military or political etc. Please be advised DFAT is the lead agency for
communications to the UN not PM&C.
Regarding “documents prepared by or for the Prime Minister, including any
advice provided by your Department regarding Australia’s position on
Israel and Palestine in international forums”, it would be helpful if you
could define which international forums you are seeking the communications
from. It is noted that Australia is a member of a number of multilateral
and regional forums.
Once you are able to provide a bit more clarification around the scope of
your request we will be able to better identify the documents in our
searches.
Feel free to contact us should you have any questions about the processing
of your request.
Kind regards
Tina | Adviser
FOI Section[]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
p. (02) 6271 5849
Ngunnawal Country, One National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box
6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [1][email address] w. [2]pmc.gov.au
[3]cid:image001.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0[4]cid:image002.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0
[5]cid:image003.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0 The
Department
acknowledges
and pays
respect to
the past,
present and
emerging
Elders and
Traditional
Custodians
of Country,
and the
continuation
of cultural,
spiritual
and
educational
practices of
Aboriginal
and Torres
Strait
Islander
peoples.
______________________________________________________________________
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the
message from your computer system.
______________________________________________________________________
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
3. https://twitter.com/pmc_gov_au
4. https://www.linkedin.com/company/departm...
OFFICIAL
Ref: FOI 2024/217-218-219
Dear Ms Torrens
We write to follow-up on our email below seeking clarification on your
revised request.
It would be appreciated if you could respond by COB 19 September 2024. If
we do no hear from you by this date, we may proceed to a decision based on
the information available.
Feel free to contact us should you have any questions about the processing
of your request.
Kind regards
FOI Section[]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
p. (02) 6271 5849
Ngunnawal Country, One National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box
6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [1][email address] w. [2]pmc.gov.au
[3]cid:image001.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0[4]cid:image002.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0
[5]cid:image003.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0 The
Department
acknowledges
and pays
respect to
the past,
present and
emerging
Elders and
Traditional
Custodians
of Country,
and the
continuation
of cultural,
spiritual
and
educational
practices of
Aboriginal
and Torres
Strait
Islander
peoples.
From: FOI <[email address]>
Sent: Monday, 9 September 2024 11:18 AM
To: [FOI #11667 email]
Cc: FOI <[email address]>
Subject: PM&C FOI Request - 2024/217-218-218 - Seeking additional
information [SEC=OFFICIAL]
OFFICIAL
Dear Ms Torrens
I write in relation to your FOI Request in the following terms (revised):
Narrowing the Timeframe: I will limit the scope of my request to documents
created or received between January 2023 and July 2024. This should
substantially reduce the volume of documents and focus the search on more
recent materials.
Specific Document Types: Instead of requesting a wide range of documents,
I will focus on formal correspondence, briefings, and submissions
specifically related to Australia's support provided to Israel and
Palestine, as well as any communications sent to the United Nations on
these matters.
Clarification of Departmental Relevance: I understand that not all aspects
of my request may fall within the purview of the Department of the Prime
Minister and Cabinet. Therefore, I am particularly interested in documents
prepared by or for the Prime Minister, including any advice provided by
your Department regarding Australia’s position on Israel and Palestine in
international forums.
Apologies for the delay in processing your request, the Department has
undertaken fresh searches for documents related to your revised request.
Unfortunately, the scope is still too broad to process and we require some
additional information from you to enable us to conduct more targeted
searches.
In relation to your request for “formal correspondence, briefings, and
submissions specifically related to Australia's support provided to Israel
and Palestine”, it would assist if you could specify what kind of support
you are seeking information on, for example, financial, humanitarian/aid,
military or political etc. Please be advised DFAT is the lead agency for
communications to the UN not PM&C.
Regarding “documents prepared by or for the Prime Minister, including any
advice provided by your Department regarding Australia’s position on
Israel and Palestine in international forums”, it would be helpful if you
could define which international forums you are seeking the communications
from. It is noted that Australia is a member of a number of multilateral
and regional forums.
Once you are able to provide a bit more clarification around the scope of
your request we will be able to better identify the documents in our
searches.
Feel free to contact us should you have any questions about the processing
of your request.
Kind regards
Tina | Adviser
FOI Section[]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
p. (02) 6271 5849
Ngunnawal Country, One National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box
6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [6][email address] w. [7]pmc.gov.au
[8]cid:image001.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0[9]cid:image002.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0
[10]cid:image003.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0 The
Department
acknowledges
and pays
respect to
the past,
present and
emerging
Elders and
Traditional
Custodians
of Country,
and the
continuation
of cultural,
spiritual
and
educational
practices of
Aboriginal
and Torres
Strait
Islander
peoples.
______________________________________________________________________
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the
message from your computer system.
______________________________________________________________________
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
3. https://twitter.com/pmc_gov_au
4. https://www.linkedin.com/company/departm...
6. mailto:[email address]
7. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
8. https://twitter.com/pmc_gov_au
9. https://www.linkedin.com/company/departm...
OFFICIAL
Ref: FOI 2024/217-218-219
Dear Ms Torrens
We write to follow-up on our email below seeking clarification on your
revised request.
It would be appreciated if you could respond by COB 19 September 2024. If
we do no hear from you by this date, we may proceed to a decision based on
the information available.
Feel free to contact us should you have any questions about the processing
of your request.
Kind regards
FOI Section[]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
p. (02) 6271 5849
Ngunnawal Country, One National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box
6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [1][email address] w. [2]pmc.gov.au
[3]cid:image001.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0[4]cid:image002.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0
[5]cid:image003.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0 The
Department
acknowledges
and pays
respect to
the past,
present and
emerging
Elders and
Traditional
Custodians
of Country,
and the
continuation
of cultural,
spiritual
and
educational
practices of
Aboriginal
and Torres
Strait
Islander
peoples.
From: FOI <[email address]>
Sent: Monday, 9 September 2024 11:18 AM
To: [FOI #11667 email]
Cc: FOI <[email address]>
Subject: PM&C FOI Request - 2024/217-218-218 - Seeking additional
information [SEC=OFFICIAL]
OFFICIAL
Dear Ms Torrens
I write in relation to your FOI Request in the following terms (revised):
Narrowing the Timeframe: I will limit the scope of my request to documents
created or received between January 2023 and July 2024. This should
substantially reduce the volume of documents and focus the search on more
recent materials.
Specific Document Types: Instead of requesting a wide range of documents,
I will focus on formal correspondence, briefings, and submissions
specifically related to Australia's support provided to Israel and
Palestine, as well as any communications sent to the United Nations on
these matters.
Clarification of Departmental Relevance: I understand that not all aspects
of my request may fall within the purview of the Department of the Prime
Minister and Cabinet. Therefore, I am particularly interested in documents
prepared by or for the Prime Minister, including any advice provided by
your Department regarding Australia’s position on Israel and Palestine in
international forums.
Apologies for the delay in processing your request, the Department has
undertaken fresh searches for documents related to your revised request.
Unfortunately, the scope is still too broad to process and we require some
additional information from you to enable us to conduct more targeted
searches.
In relation to your request for “formal correspondence, briefings, and
submissions specifically related to Australia's support provided to Israel
and Palestine”, it would assist if you could specify what kind of support
you are seeking information on, for example, financial, humanitarian/aid,
military or political etc. Please be advised DFAT is the lead agency for
communications to the UN not PM&C.
Regarding “documents prepared by or for the Prime Minister, including any
advice provided by your Department regarding Australia’s position on
Israel and Palestine in international forums”, it would be helpful if you
could define which international forums you are seeking the communications
from. It is noted that Australia is a member of a number of multilateral
and regional forums.
Once you are able to provide a bit more clarification around the scope of
your request we will be able to better identify the documents in our
searches.
Feel free to contact us should you have any questions about the processing
of your request.
Kind regards
Tina | Adviser
FOI Section[]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
p. (02) 6271 5849
Ngunnawal Country, One National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box
6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [6][email address] w. [7]pmc.gov.au
[8]cid:image001.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0[9]cid:image002.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0
[10]cid:image003.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0 The
Department
acknowledges
and pays
respect to
the past,
present and
emerging
Elders and
Traditional
Custodians
of Country,
and the
continuation
of cultural,
spiritual
and
educational
practices of
Aboriginal
and Torres
Strait
Islander
peoples.
______________________________________________________________________
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the
message from your computer system.
______________________________________________________________________
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
3. https://twitter.com/pmc_gov_au
4. https://www.linkedin.com/company/departm...
6. mailto:[email address]
7. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
8. https://twitter.com/pmc_gov_au
9. https://www.linkedin.com/company/departm...
OFFICIAL
Ref: FOI 2024/217-218-219
Dear Ms Torrens
We write to follow-up on our email below seeking clarification on your
revised request.
It would be appreciated if you could respond by COB 19 September 2024. If
we do no hear from you by this date, we may proceed to a decision based on
the information available.
Feel free to contact us should you have any questions about the processing
of your request.
Kind regards
FOI Section[]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
p. (02) 6271 5849
Ngunnawal Country, One National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box
6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [1][email address] w. [2]pmc.gov.au
[3]cid:image001.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0[4]cid:image002.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0
[5]cid:image003.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0 The
Department
acknowledges
and pays
respect to
the past,
present and
emerging
Elders and
Traditional
Custodians
of Country,
and the
continuation
of cultural,
spiritual
and
educational
practices of
Aboriginal
and Torres
Strait
Islander
peoples.
From: FOI <[email address]>
Sent: Monday, 9 September 2024 11:18 AM
To: [FOI #11667 email]
Cc: FOI <[email address]>
Subject: PM&C FOI Request - 2024/217-218-218 - Seeking additional
information [SEC=OFFICIAL]
OFFICIAL
Dear Ms Torrens
I write in relation to your FOI Request in the following terms (revised):
Narrowing the Timeframe: I will limit the scope of my request to documents
created or received between January 2023 and July 2024. This should
substantially reduce the volume of documents and focus the search on more
recent materials.
Specific Document Types: Instead of requesting a wide range of documents,
I will focus on formal correspondence, briefings, and submissions
specifically related to Australia's support provided to Israel and
Palestine, as well as any communications sent to the United Nations on
these matters.
Clarification of Departmental Relevance: I understand that not all aspects
of my request may fall within the purview of the Department of the Prime
Minister and Cabinet. Therefore, I am particularly interested in documents
prepared by or for the Prime Minister, including any advice provided by
your Department regarding Australia’s position on Israel and Palestine in
international forums.
Apologies for the delay in processing your request, the Department has
undertaken fresh searches for documents related to your revised request.
Unfortunately, the scope is still too broad to process and we require some
additional information from you to enable us to conduct more targeted
searches.
In relation to your request for “formal correspondence, briefings, and
submissions specifically related to Australia's support provided to Israel
and Palestine”, it would assist if you could specify what kind of support
you are seeking information on, for example, financial, humanitarian/aid,
military or political etc. Please be advised DFAT is the lead agency for
communications to the UN not PM&C.
Regarding “documents prepared by or for the Prime Minister, including any
advice provided by your Department regarding Australia’s position on
Israel and Palestine in international forums”, it would be helpful if you
could define which international forums you are seeking the communications
from. It is noted that Australia is a member of a number of multilateral
and regional forums.
Once you are able to provide a bit more clarification around the scope of
your request we will be able to better identify the documents in our
searches.
Feel free to contact us should you have any questions about the processing
of your request.
Kind regards
Tina | Adviser
FOI Section[]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
p. (02) 6271 5849
Ngunnawal Country, One National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box
6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [6][email address] w. [7]pmc.gov.au
[8]cid:image001.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0[9]cid:image002.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0
[10]cid:image003.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0 The
Department
acknowledges
and pays
respect to
the past,
present and
emerging
Elders and
Traditional
Custodians
of Country,
and the
continuation
of cultural,
spiritual
and
educational
practices of
Aboriginal
and Torres
Strait
Islander
peoples.
______________________________________________________________________
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the
message from your computer system.
______________________________________________________________________
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
3. https://twitter.com/pmc_gov_au
4. https://www.linkedin.com/company/departm...
6. mailto:[email address]
7. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
8. https://twitter.com/pmc_gov_au
9. https://www.linkedin.com/company/departm...
Dear Tina,
Thank you for your response and for seeking clarification regarding my request.
To provide more specific guidance, I am seeking communications and documents related to Australia’s position on Israel and Palestine in the following international forums:
United Nations (UN), including the General Assembly and Security Council.
United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Commonwealth of Nations.
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
G20.
Kind regards
Deborah-May
OFFICIAL
FOI Reference: FOI/2024/217-218-219 MUL
Dear Deborah
Please find attached the correspondence regarding your request under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982.
Apologies for the delay in finalising your request.
Kind regards
Adviser
FOI Section[]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
p. (02) 6271 5849
Ngunnawal Country | One National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box
6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [1][email address] w. [2]pmc.gov.au
[3]cid:image003.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0 The
Department
acknowledges
and pays
respect to
the past,
present and
emerging
Elders and
Traditional
Custodians
of Country,
and the
continuation
of cultural,
spiritual
and
educational
practices of
Aboriginal
and Torres
Strait
Islander
peoples.
______________________________________________________________________
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the
message from your computer system.
______________________________________________________________________
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
OFFICIAL
FOI Reference: FOI/2024/217-218-219 MUL
Dear Deborah
Please find attached the correspondence regarding your request under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982.
Apologies for the delay in finalising your request.
Kind regards
Adviser
FOI Section[]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
p. (02) 6271 5849
Ngunnawal Country | One National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box
6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [1][email address] w. [2]pmc.gov.au
[3]cid:image003.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0 The
Department
acknowledges
and pays
respect to
the past,
present and
emerging
Elders and
Traditional
Custodians
of Country,
and the
continuation
of cultural,
spiritual
and
educational
practices of
Aboriginal
and Torres
Strait
Islander
peoples.
______________________________________________________________________
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the
message from your computer system.
______________________________________________________________________
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
OFFICIAL
FOI Reference: FOI/2024/217-218-219 MUL
Dear Deborah
Please find attached the correspondence regarding your request under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982.
Apologies for the delay in finalising your request.
Kind regards
Adviser
FOI Section[]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
p. (02) 6271 5849
Ngunnawal Country | One National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box
6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [1][email address] w. [2]pmc.gov.au
[3]cid:image003.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0 The
Department
acknowledges
and pays
respect to
the past,
present and
emerging
Elders and
Traditional
Custodians
of Country,
and the
continuation
of cultural,
spiritual
and
educational
practices of
Aboriginal
and Torres
Strait
Islander
peoples.
______________________________________________________________________
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the
message from your computer system.
______________________________________________________________________
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/