Appointment of Ambassador to the United States
Dear Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade,
I write to request access to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982.
I seek access to the following documents:
All documents, including any electronic or physical communications, relating to the potential (and later actual) appointment of former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to the Ambassadorship to the United States. Please also include any extant records of phone calls.
I request only documents internal to the Department or between the Department and other government entities (including Ministers and their offices).
The scope of this request is from 21 May 2022 to 21 February 2023.
I look forward to receiving your decision.
Yours faithfully,
MBV
OFFICIAL
Dear MBV,
RE: LEX7361
Thank you for your email dated 21 February 2023 seeking access under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 to:
'All documents, including any electronic or physical communications, relating to the potential (and later actual) appointment of former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to the Ambassadorship to the United States. Please also include any extant records of phone calls.
I request only documents internal to the Department or between the Department and other government entities (including Ministers and their offices).
The scope of this request is from 21 May 2022 to 21 February 2023.'
This email sets out some information about how your request will be processed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
Scope of request
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 21 February 2023 and the 30-day statutory period for processing your request commenced from the day after that date. Our decision is therefore due on 23 March 2023.
The period of 30 days may also be extended in other circumstances. We will advise you if any extension of time is required.
Charges
Please note that the Department issues charges for processing FOI requests. We will advise you of these charges when we are in a position to estimate the resources required to process your request.
Timing of release
As the subject matter of your request will require DFAT to upload any documents released to you to the Department's FOI Disclosure Log, we take this opportunity to advise you that the Department's policy is to upload documents to the disclosure log on the same day as the documents are released to you.
Exclusion of officials' names and contact details
It is the Department's policy to withhold the mobile numbers of all government officials, and the names and contact details of government officials not in the Senior Executive Service (SES) or equivalent. If you require the mobile numbers of all government officials, or the names and contact details of non-SES officials, please let us know at [DFAT request email] so the decision-maker may consider; otherwise we will take it that you agree to that information 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. The Department's privacy policy is available at dfat.gov.au/privacy.html
Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us by return e-mail at [DFAT request email].
Kind regards,
DFAT FOI Team
_______________________________
Freedom of Information Section
Public Interest Law Branch | Regulatory and Legal Policy Division
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
dfat.gov.au | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn
© Kim Hill, Among Women (2011)
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.
OFFICIAL
Dear MBV
FOI Reference: LEX 7361
Thank you for your recent FOI request made to the Department of Foreign
Affairs and Trade (the department).
The department continues to process your request, and is currently
undertaking searches across multiple line areas to identify relevant
document holdings.
We write to seek your agreement to an extension of 30 days to process your
FOI request in accordance with section 15AA of the FOI Act.
The additional time will enable the department to finalise its processes
and provide you with an outcome.
Please be assured that we will continue to process your request as quickly
as possible, and will provide an outcome to you as soon as it is
available.
If you are minded to agree, we would be grateful if you could please
confirm your agreement by COB 24 April 2023.
If we do not hear from you, we may apply to the Office of the Australian
Information Commissioner for an extension to the statutory timeframe.
Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact
[1][DFAT request email].
Kind regards
DFAT FOI Team
_______________________________
FOI Section
Public Interest Law Branch | Regulatory and Legal Policy Division
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
[2]dfat.gov.au | [3]Twitter | [4]Facebook | [5]Instagram | [6]LinkedIn
© Kim Hill, Among Women (2011)
[7]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.
Our reference: RQ23/01770
Agency reference: LEX 7361
MBV Right to know
By email: [1][FOI #9970 email]
CC: [2][DFAT request email]
Extension of time under s 15AB
Dear FOI Applicant,
Please find attached an FOI Extension of time decision relating to your
FOI request with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. A copy of
this decision has been provided to the Department today.
Kind regards,
Thomas Hanaee
[3][IMG] Assistant Review Adviser
Freedom of Information Regulatory Group
Office of the Australian Information
Commissioner
GPO Box 5218 Sydney NSW 2001 |
[4]oaic.gov.au
1300 363 992 | [5][email address]
[6][IMG] | [7][IMG] | [8][IMG] | [9]Subscribe to OAICnet newsletter
Notice:
The information contained in this email message and any attached files may
be confidential information, and may also be the subject of legal
professional privilege. If you are not the intended recipient any use,
disclosure or copying of this email is unauthorised. If you received this
email in error, please notify the sender by contacting the department's
switchboard on 1300 488 064 during business hours (8:30am - 5pm Canberra
time) and delete all copies of this transmission together with any
attachments.
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[FOI #9970 email]
2. mailto:[DFAT request email]
3. https://www.oaic.gov.au/
4. http://www.oaic.gov.au/
5. mailto:[email address]
6. http://www.facebook.com/OAICgov
7. https://www.linkedin.com/company/office-...
8. https://twitter.com/OAICgov
9. https://www.oaic.gov.au/media-and-speech...
OFFICIAL
Dear MBV
Please find attached a letter advising the outcome of your FOI request and
a copy of the documents to which you have been granted access.
Kind regards
DFAT FOI Team
_______________________________
FOI Section
Public Interest Law Branch | Regulatory and Legal Policy Division
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
[1]dfat.gov.au | [2]Twitter | [3]Facebook | [4]Instagram | [5]LinkedIn
© Kim Hill, Among Women (2011)
[6]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.