Dear Ange

The Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (the department)
has received your Freedom of Information request of 4 December 2020
(attached).

This correspondence is to acknowledge receipt of your request. Currently a
decision is due to you by 3 January 2021. However, this timeline may be
effected by the requirement to undertake consultation with affected third
parties or if the department determines you are liable to pay a charge in
relation to your request. You will be notified by the department if
charges are liable or if third party consultation is required.

Personal information

For documents that fall within the scope of the request, it is the
practice of the department to withhold:

·         the names, signatures and contact details of junior staff; That
is:

o   Commonwealth staff who are not in the Senior Executive Service (SES);
and

o   Ministerial staff below the level of Chief of Staff; and

·         the mobile phone numbers of SES officers.

The names and other details of SES officers will be released unless the
information is exempt from disclosure.

Confirmation from you that you are not seeking ‘personal information’
(i.e. the names and contact details of any individuals, or any information
that could reasonably identify an individual) may enable a more timely and
cost effective processing of your request.

Therefore, could you please clarify if you a seeking access to personal
information in the documents relating to:

·         third parties; and

·         Commonwealth staff.

If you are not seeking access to any personal information, you can simply
reply to this email with ‘no personal information requested’.

If you are seeking access to specific types of personal information, could
you please specify.

Request for extension of time

I note that the department shuts down from 25 December 2020 to 4 January
2021.

To assist in the processing your request, we seek your agreement to a 10
day extension under section 15AA of the FOI Act. If you agree to this
extension, the department will notify the Office of the Australian
Information Commissioner of the extension of time, and the decision on
your request would then be due to you on or before 13 January 2021.

Could you please confirm your agreement to this extension at your earliest
convenience but no later than Tuesday 15 December 2020.

If you have any questions, please contact the FOI team.

Regards

Sasha Pesic

Senior FOI Officer

FOI Team

Legal, Audit and Assurance | Corporate & Digital

GPO Box 2013, Canberra ACT 2601

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Dear Ange

I refer to your FOI request of 4 December 2020 to the Department of
Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (the department).  

Notice of Consultation

Your request covers documents that contain information about the business
affairs of certain organisations.

Under section 27 of the FOI Act where a request is made for a document
containing information about the business affairs of an organisation
(section 27) and it appears the organisation may reasonably wish to
contend that the information is exempt or conditionally exempt, the
department must give the organisation a reasonable opportunity to make a
submission in support of the contention.

Under section 27 of the FOI Act the department must have regard to any
submissions made by the organisation before making a decision to give
access to the document.

Given that consultation with a third party is required, the statutory
timeframe for processing your FOI request is extended by 30 days under
subsection 15(6) of the FOI Act.

Regards

Sasha Pesic

Senior FOI Officer

FOI Team

Legal, Audit and Assurance | Corporate & Digital

GPO Box 2013, Canberra ACT 2601

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Dear Ange

Please find attached correspondence in relation to your FOI request of 4
December 2021.

Should you have any queries regarding this matter, please contact the FOI
team.

Regards

Sasha Pesic

Senior FOI Officer

FOI Team

Legal, Audit and Assurance | Corporate & Digital

GPO Box 2013, Canberra ACT 2601

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