Dear Department of Home Affairs,

Under the FOI Act, I am seeking the document with PDR Number: MS22-002716 with the title: Ministerial Direction on character related visa decision making - new primary consideration.

Any personal information can be redacted to expedite this process.

Yours faithfully,

Oliver Smith

FOI, Department of Home Affairs

1 Attachment

 

[1]Australian Government Department of Home Affairs logo

 

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References

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2. https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/access-an...
3. https://online.immi.gov.au/ola/app
4. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-sup...
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6. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/al...
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8. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/vi...
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11. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/entering...
12. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-sup...
13. https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav/visa...
14. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-sup...
15. https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/Trav/Visa...
16. https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav/visa...
17. file:///tmp/chttps:/immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/applying-online-or-on-paper/online
18. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/change-i...
19. https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav/visa...
20. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/change-i...
21. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/change-i...
22. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/change-i...
23. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/ge...
24. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/change-i...
25. https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-and-...

FOI, Department of Home Affairs

OFFICIAL: Sensitive
Personal-Privacy

In reply please quote:

FOI Request:         FA 23/11/00733

File Number:         FA23/11/00733 

Dear Oliver Smith

Acknowledgement of Freedom of Information Access request

This letter acknowledges that on 14 November 2023 the Department of Home
Affairs (the Department) received your request to access documents held
by  the Department under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI
Act). This letter also provides important information about your request.

Scope of request

You have requested access to the following:

Under the FOI Act, I am seeking the document with PDR Number: MS22-002716
with the title: Ministerial Direction on character related visa decision
making - new primary consideration.
Any personal information can be redacted to expedite this process.

Your request has been allocated FOI request number FA 23/11/00733. Please
include your FOI request number in all correspondence with the Freedom of
Information Section.

Timeframe

 

The timeframe for processing a request is 30 days from the day we receive
your request, as set out in the FOI Act.

 

Your review rights in relation to your request are available on [1]the
website of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

Fees and Charges

Charges do not apply to requests from individuals seeking access to
documents about themselves. However, a charge may apply to all other
requests for access to documents.

Charges are based on the amount of time the Department spends on your
request. Charges can range from $10 to over $1,000 depending on the
complexity and scope of your request. The Office of the Australian
Information Commissioner reported that across the public service, the
average charge notified was $335.50 in 2020-21.

If a charge applies, you will be issued with a Notice of Charge that
explains the charge and your options.

Detailed information about FOI charges that may apply to your FOI request
is available on [2]the Department’s website.

We do not provide personal details of staff

 

The Department’s practice is to exclude the personal details of staff not
in the Senior Executive Service (SES), as well as the direct contact
details of SES staff, contained in documents that fall within scope of an
FOI request. If you require personal details of non-SES officers, or
direct contact details of SES staff, please inform us so the decision
maker may consider your request. Otherwise we will take it that you agree
to that information being excluded from the scope of your request. However
names of staff that have previously been released in departmental
correspondence may be disclosed.

We do not provide duplicated documents

 

If the FOI decision-maker deems a document to be a duplicate, they will
not assess those pages as part of your FOI request. This means that if a
there is a decision to release the document to you, you will receive only
one copy, even if multiple copies of that document exist.

Publication of document

Released documents you request may be published to our website

 

Where documents are released to you in response to your request, the
Department may be required to publish these documents on its website
within 10 working days in accordance with section 11C of the FOI Act.
Publication will not be required where the documents contain personal or
business affairs information.

 

How to reduce or withdraw your request

 

Reducing the scope of your request can reduce the time and charges
associated with processing your FOI request.

 

To reduce or withdraw your request, contact the FOI section at
[3][Department of Home Affairs request email] and include your FOI request number.

Contacting the FOI Section

 

Should you wish to discuss your request you may contact the FOI Section at
[Department of Home Affairs request email].

 

Kind regards

 

Jade

FOI Officer

Freedom of Information

Department of Home Affairs

E: [4][Department of Home Affairs request email]

Personal-Privacy
OFFICIAL: Sensitive

 

 

show quoted sections

FOI, Department of Home Affairs

OFFICIAL

Good morning

I refer to your request received on 14 November 2023 for access to
documents under the FOI Act. 

The current due date for your request is 14 December 2023. 

In order for the Department to complete the decision making process in
relation to the documents that fall within the scope of your request, the
Department will require additional time to process your request.

The Department seeks your agreement under section 15AA of the FOI Act to
extend the timeframe for the processing of your request by 30 days.  This
would extend the due date for your request to Saturday 13 January 2024.
However, as this date falls on a non-working day, section 36(2) of the
Acts Interpretation Act 1901 provides that the latest date the Department
may issue a decision would be the next working day, which is Monday 15
January 2024.

It would assist the Department in managing its FOI caseload if you could
provide a response to this request by close of business, Monday 11
December 2023

If you wish to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to
contact me on the details below.

Thank you

 

Electronically signed

 

Lucksika

Position number 60016902

Freedom of Information

Privacy, FOI and Records Management Branch | Legal Group

Department of Home Affairs

E: [Department of Home Affairs request email]

 

OFFICIAL

 

 

Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by
the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received
this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and
attachments immediately.  This email, including attachments, may contain
confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.
 

Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information
by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. 
The Department of Home Affairs, the ABF and the National Emergency
Management Agency respect your privacy and have obligations under the
Privacy Act 1988.  

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this
email.

Dear FOI,

Thank-you for your email, I am comfortable granting the 30 day extension as requested. Merry Christmas.

Yours sincerely,

Oliver Smith

FOI, Department of Home Affairs

2 Attachments

OFFICIAL

Dear Oliver Smith

 

Please find attached decision letter and documents regarding your FOI
request received by the Department of Home Affairs on 14 November 2023.

 

This request has now been closed.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Anna

Decision Maker | Position No. 60156395

Freedom of Information Section

Privacy, FOI & Records Management Branch | Legal Group

Department of Home Affairs | [1]www.homeaffairs.gov.au

E: [2][Department of Home Affairs request email]

OFFICIAL

 

 

Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by
the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received
this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and
attachments immediately.  This email, including attachments, may contain
confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.
 

Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information
by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. 
The Department of Home Affairs, the ABF and the National Emergency
Management Agency respect your privacy and have obligations under the
Privacy Act 1988.  

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this
email.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/
2. mailto:[Department of Home Affairs request email]