Burkina Faso - Australian Government aid, grants, donations, projects
Dear Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade,
This request is to obtain documents relating to the consideration of and provision of any Australian Government aid, grants, donations or financial, personnel, and asset support of development initiatives within the country of Burkina Faso from 2015 until the date of this request, including both approved and declined submissions and details of how the decision to approve / decline was reached.
Yours faithfully,
Edward Foucault
OFFICIAL
FOI Reference: LEX4275
Dear Mr Foucault
On 19 August 2021, you requested access under the Freedom of Information
Act 1982 to
documents relating to the consideration of and provision of any Australian
Government aid, grants, donations or financial, personnel, and asset
support of development initiatives within the country of Burkina Faso from
2015 until the date of this request, including both approved and declined
submissions and details of how the decision to approve / decline was
reached.
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:
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 19 August 2021 and the 30-day statutory period
for processing your request commenced from the day after that date. The
period of 30 days may be extended in certain circumstances. We will advise
you if any extension of time is required.
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
[1][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 [2][DFAT request email]
Kind regards
DFAT FOI Team
Freedom of Information and Privacy Law Section
Legal Division | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
[3]DFAT.GOV.AU | [4]Twitter | [5]Facebook | [6]Flickr | [7]YouTube
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.
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[DFAT request email]
2. mailto:[DFAT request email]
3. http://dfat.gov.au/pages/default.aspx
4. https://twitter.com/dfat
5. https://www.facebook.com/dfat.gov.au
6. https://www.flickr.com/photos/dfataustra...
7. https://www.youtube.com/user/dfat
OFFICIAL
FOI Reference: LEX4275
Dear Mr Foucault
We have faced delays in processing your request due to public health
restrictions in the ACT.
We seek your agreement to an extension of 30 days under s 15AA of the FOI
Act. Please advise us if you agree to this extension.
If we do not hear from you by Monday 12pm, we may apply for an extension
from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
Yours sincerely
DFAT FOI Team
Legal Division | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
T +61 2 6261 1111 | E [DFAT request email]
[1]DFAT.GOV.AU | [2]Twitter | [3]Facebook | [4]Flickr | [5]YouTube
From: FOI
Sent: Friday, 17 September 2021 4:51 PM
To: [FOI #7705 email]
Subject: Your FOI request - Burkina Faso - LEX4275 [SEC=OFFICIAL]
OFFICIAL
FOI Reference: LEX4275
Dear Mr Foucault
On 19 August 2021, you requested access under the Freedom of Information
Act 1982 to
documents relating to the consideration of and provision of any Australian
Government aid, grants, donations or financial, personnel, and asset
support of development initiatives within the country of Burkina Faso from
2015 until the date of this request, including both approved and declined
submissions and details of how the decision to approve / decline was
reached.
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:
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 19 August 2021 and the 30-day statutory period
for processing your request commenced from the day after that date. The
period of 30 days may be extended in certain circumstances. We will advise
you if any extension of time is required.
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
[6][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 [7][DFAT request email]
Kind regards
DFAT FOI Team
Freedom of Information and Privacy Law Section
Legal Division | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
[8]DFAT.GOV.AU | [9]Twitter | [10]Facebook | [11]Flickr | [12]YouTube
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.
References
Visible links
1. http://dfat.gov.au/pages/default.aspx
2. https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
3. https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
4. https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
5. https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
6. mailto:[DFAT request email]
7. mailto:[DFAT request email]
8. http://dfat.gov.au/pages/default.aspx
9. https://twitter.com/dfat
10. https://www.facebook.com/dfat.gov.au
11. https://www.flickr.com/photos/dfataustra...
12. https://www.youtube.com/user/dfat
Dear FOI,
I agree to the aforementioned extension of 29+1 days.
Yours sincerely,
E. Foucault
OFFICIAL
FOI Reference: LEX4275
Dear Mr Foucault
Please see attached correspondence relating to your FOI request.
Yours sincerely
DFAT FOI Team
Legal Division | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
T +61 2 6261 1111 | E [DFAT request email]
[1]DFAT.GOV.AU | [2]Twitter | [3]Facebook | [4]Flickr | [5]YouTube
Dear FOI,
RE: FOI reference LEX4275
I would like to contend the quotation of costs for the charges levied for this request.
I am at a loss as to how the particular cost has been calculated. The amount of $496.18 seems a very abstruse amount to quote given there is not even the slightest indication in your communication as to how many documents may be deemed relevant to this request.
Surely even the most cursory search of your database by using the search terms "Burkina Faso", "Government aid" and "2015 - 2021" would have given an indication which you could have provided. We are talking about documents that will have arisen in the current electronic age - not searching for documents from the files of a Government entity back in the times of the Whitlam Government.
If some broad indication cannot be gained by an electronic search of keywords then the Departments' information depository system is dysfunctional.
Please review the amount quoted for this request and justify it based on some factual data that is relevant to the calculation of the true costs of this request, rather than try to deflect the request by imposing a financial barrier.
Yours sincerely,
E. Foucault
Dear FOI,
Could you be ever so kind as to furnish an update as to the status of the requested review.
Yours sincerely,
Edward Foucault
Hello FOI chaps,
Sorry to trouble you, but would you be ever so kind to indicate how this review is progressing.
Yours sincerely,
Edward Foucault
OFFICIAL
FOI Reference: LEX4275
Dear Mr Foucault
We regret the delay in responding to your last correspondence. Please
find attached a letter from the department in relation to this matter.
Yours sincerely
DFAT FOI Team
Legal Division | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
T +61 2 6261 1111 | E [DFAT request email]
[1]DFAT.GOV.AU | [2]Twitter | [3]Facebook | [4]Flickr | [5]YouTube