OFFICIAL

 

FOI Request: LEX 11683

  

Dear Oliver Smith 

  

Thank you for your email dated 23 October 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:       

  

I seek any correspondence sent to any Australian embassy or consulate in
relation to celebrating, commemorating or marking Australia Day 2025,
including guides to events, sent since 27 January 2024.  

  

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 23 October 2024, 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 22 November 2024. 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  

DFAT FOI Team

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

[4]dfat.gov.au | [5]X | [6]Facebook | [7]Instagram  | [8]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.

 

 

 

show quoted sections

OFFICIAL

 

 

FOI Reference: LEX 11683

 

Dear Oliver Smith 

 

We are writing to you to seek your agreement to providing the department
with an extension of 7 calendar days to process your FOI request in
accordance with section 15AA of the FOI Act. This would mean that a
decision would then be due to you by Friday, 29 November 2024. 

 

Background 

 

The department has experienced delays in searching for and retrieving
documents potentially relevant to the scope of your request.

 

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.  

 

Timeframe 

 

We would be grateful if you could please reply to our request by COB
Monday, 18 November 2024.

 

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 to contact us by reply email. 

 

Kind regards 

 

Aaron

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

[1]dfat.gov.au | [2]X | [3]Facebook | [4]Instagram  | [5]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.

 

 

 

 

From: FOI FOI
Sent: Friday, October 25, 2024 9:54 AM
To: Oliver Smith <[FOI #12206 email]>
Subject: Your FOI Request - Acknowledgement (LEX 11683)  [SEC=OFFICIAL]

 

OFFICIAL

 

FOI Request: LEX 11683

  

Dear Oliver Smith 

  

Thank you for your email dated 23 October 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:       

  

I seek any correspondence sent to any Australian embassy or consulate in
relation to celebrating, commemorating or marking Australia Day 2025,
including guides to events, sent since 27 January 2024.  

  

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 23 October 2024, 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 22 November 2024. 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 [6]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 [7][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 [8]privacy policy.  

  

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

[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.

 

 

 

show quoted sections