OFFICIAL

FOI Request: LEX 12017

Dear James Smith 

Thank you for your email dated 31 January 2024 seeking access to documents
under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).  

This email sets out some information about how your request will be
processed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (the
department).  

Scope of request:  

You have sought access to: 

‘…….any documents relating to the appointment of General (Rtd) Angus
Campbell AO as Australia's Ambassador to Belgium, the European Union (EU),
the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and Luxembourg.’

If it emerges that the scope of your request is unclear or is too large
for processing, the department will contact you to discuss re-scoping the
request.  

Timeframe for receiving our decision:  

We received your request on 31 January 2025, and the 30-day statutory
period for processing your request commenced from the day after that date.
A decision is currently due to you by 3 March 2025. The period of 30 days
may be extended in certain circumstances.    

Charges:   

Please note that the department may issue charges for processing FOI
requests.  If applicable, we will advise you of any relevant charges when
we are in a position to estimate the resources required to process your
request.   

Disclosure log:   

Please note that, with some exceptions (such as personal information),
documents released under the FOI Act may later be published on the
department’s [1]disclosure log.   

Exclusion of officials’ names and contact details:  

It is the department’s policy to withhold the personal information of
junior staff from ministerial offices and government officials not in the
Senior Executive Service (SES) or equivalent, including their email
addresses and contact numbers, together with all signatures, mobile phone
numbers, departmental inboxes and technical transmission details including
reference numbers.  

Duplicate documents and incomplete email chains:  

Your request will be processed on the basis that you did not intend to
capture duplicate documents or duplicate emails within email chains.  

If you require the excluded information or documents, please let us know
at [2][DFAT request email] so the decision-maker may consider; otherwise, we
will take it that you agree to the information and documents being
excluded from the scope of your request.  

Personal Information:  

If we need to consult with other people or organisations regarding your
FOI request, we may need to disclose your personal information (e.g. your
name). When we consult it may be apparent that you have made a request,
even if we do not disclose your identity. Please let us know if you have
any concerns in this regard. Further information on the way the department
handles personal information is accessible via our [3]privacy policy.  

Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to
contact us by reply email.  

Kind regards  

Aaron

show quoted sections

OFFICIAL

FOI Request: LEX 12017

Dear James Smith 

Please see attached correspondence regarding your FOI request.

Kind regards

Aaron

show quoted sections

Freedom of Information Section
Public Interest Law Branch | Regulatory and Legal Policy Division
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

[9]dfat.gov.au | [10]X | [11]Facebook | [12]Instagram  | [13]LinkedIn

© Brooke Rigney-Lively (2024)

 We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout
Australia, and their continuing connection to land, waters and community.
We pay our respects to all First Nations peoples, their cultures and to
their Elders, past, present and emerging.

This email and any attachments may contain confidential information or
legal advice over which legal professional privilege can be claimed. Such
privilege is not waived and you should ensure that, in your handling of
the advice, you avoid waiving privilege. Please consult the author of the
advice if unsure about appropriate handling.

show quoted sections

OFFICIAL

Good afternoon James Smith

Thank you for your email.

The purpose of the 24AB notice is for the department to provide you an
opportunity to revise your request so that a practical refusal reason no
longer exists. As such, we have offered the following suggestions to
assist you in narrowing the scope of your request:

·       Specifying the documents you are seeking, for example, the final
signed appointment document package,

·       Limit your request to exclude media releases or documents relating
to media releases,

·       Limiting your request to exclude emails.

At present the statutory timeframe has been ‘paused’ and will re-commence
should you choose to:

a. withdraw your request,

b. revise the scope of your request, or

c. inform the department that you do not wish to revise your request.

If you would like to revise the scope of your request, withdraw your
request or choose not to revise your request, grateful if you could please
advise by COB Friday, 28 February 2025.

Kind regards,

Aaron

show quoted sections