** This is an automated response. Please do not reply to this email **

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Your email has been received by the Department of Home Affairs Freedom of
Information (FOI) Section.

The FOI section only responds to valid FOI requests and other matters
relating to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act).  Visit the
FOI Information on our Website for more information on what [1]information
can be accessed under the FOI Act 1982.

What is a valid FOI request?

A valid FOI request may be for:

- documents you previously provided to the Department as part of a visa
application

- a copy of a decision record made by the Department

- statistical information held by the Department

- papers or briefings the Department prepared.

If your email is a valid FOI request, the Department will contact you
shortly to acknowledge your request.

A valid FOI request must:

o Be in writing and state the request is for consideration under the FOI
Act.
o Have enough information for us to be able to identify the documents
you are seeking.
o Provide a physical or electronic address where we can send our
decision.

Do not send duplicate emails as this may cause longer delays in processing
times.

What is an invalid FOI request?

Invalid FOI requests may include:

- Making a visa application

- Seeking evidence of your Australian Citizenship

- Seeking information about traveling to or departing Australia.

If your email is not specific an FOI request or FOI related matter, the
FOI section will not respond.

What happens next?

Once we receive and have registered your FOI request, we will send you an
acknowledgment letter by email. Read the acknowledgment letter carefully
for further instructions.

FOI requests are generally processed in the order they are received.

We will contact you as soon as the Department has assessed your request
under the FOI Act.

We’re responding to a large volume of requests

Due to the current high volume of requests, we will not provide progress
up-dates on current FOI requests.  This is to ensure we are able to
process as many requests as possible, including yours.

If processing your request is going to take us a lot of time and because
it is large or unspecific, it may be refused.  

Still have a question or request?

If you still have a question, which has not been answered above, and which
is about the work of the Department, use our general enquiries web page

[2]https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-sup...

You may be able to resolve your enquiry faster using these other resources

We only action and respond to FOI requests that are valid under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982. You may be able to resolve your enquiry
faster by using these resources:

General information about travelling to Australia:

The Department of Home Affairs, “Entering Australia” site
[3]https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/entering...

·       For visa and our requirements for entry to Australia
[4]https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/ge...

For a copy of your visa refusal or visa grant letter you should contact
the office where you lodged your visa application. 

·       To check your current visa details and conditions use the
Department’s Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) portal which can
be accessed [5]here

·       If you are experiencing technical difficulties in lodging your
visa application through ImmiAccount, submit your concerns through the
ImmiAccount Technical Support Form, which is accessible [6]here.

·       For evidence of your Australian Citizenship please refer [7]here.
The FOI Section does not process these requests.

·       For movement records or travel history complete the online
International Movement Records form [8]here. The FOI Section does not
process these requests.

·       To update your details, including your Passport details, you can
notify the Department [9]here. The FOI Section does not process these
requests.

We appreciate your feedback         

We appreciate your feedback to help improve our services.

If you would like to provide feedback to us please use our Compliments,
complaints and suggestions form.
[10]https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-and-...

Thank you

Information updated 11 January 2022

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 and ABF 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. https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/access-an...
2. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-sup...
3. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/entering...
4. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/ge...
5. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/al...
6. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-sup...
7. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/citizens...
8. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/entering...
9. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/change-i...
10. https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-and-...

OFFICIAL: Sensitive
Personal-Privacy

28 November 2022

Chuck
BY EMAIL: [FOI #9620 email]

In reply please quote:
FOI Request: FA 22/11/01392
File Number: FA22/11/01392

Dear Chuck

I refer to your email dated 28 November 2022, in which you requested access to documents held by the Department of Home Affairs (the Department) under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act).

You have requested access to the following:

Could you please indicate how many applicants were awaiting the Citizenship Ceremony invitation at the Stonington Council as at the 3rd Of September 2022?

Also, how many people were invited or will be invited (for future dates) to the Citizenship Ceremonies at the City of Stonnington Council (VIC) below :
Tuesday 20 September 2022
Wednesday 12 October 2022
Wednesday 16 November 2022
Tuesday 6 December 2022
January 26 2023.

Intention to refuse request

I am writing to advise you that I intend to refuse your request on the basis that a practical refusal reason exists. However, before I make a final decision to do this, you have an opportunity to revise your request to remove the practical refusal reason. This is called a ‘request consultation process’. You have 14 days to respond to this notice in one of the ways set out below.

Power to refuse request

Section 24 of the FOI Act provides that if the Department is satisfied that a practical refusal reason exists in relation to a request, the Department must undertake a consultation process with you, and if, after that consultation process, the Department remains satisfied that the practical refusal reason still exists, the Department may refuse to give you access to the documents subject to the request.

Practical refusal

A practical refusal reason exists under section 24AA of the FOI Act if either (or both) of the following applies:
(1)(a)(i) the work involved in the processing of the request would substantially and unreasonably divert the resources of the Department from its other operations
(1)(b) the request does not satisfy the requirement in section 15(2)(b) of the FOI Act, which requires you to provide such information concerning the document you are seeking access to, to enable the Department to be able to identify it.

I consider that the request does not satisfy the requirements of section 15(2)(b) of the FOI Act, and accordingly that practical refusal reasons exist under section 24AA(1)(b) of the FOI Act.

Reasons for practical refusal

The Department has considered the scope of this request and its capacity to conduct searches of relevance based on the current scope. The Freedom of Information Act 1982 provides a right to obtain access to “a document of an agency”. It is my preliminary view that your request, in its current form, does not satisfy the requirement in section 15(2)(b) of the FOI Act and is therefore not valid.
Section 12(1)(b) provides that a person is not entitled to obtain access if a document is open for the public to access as part of a public register.

Part a) or your request, is available on the Department’s website at the following link: Ceremony wait times (homeaffairs.gov.au) https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/citizens...

As such, I am satisfied that your request is not valid and a practical refusal reason exists in this request.

Request Consultation Process

To enable the Department to consider your request for access under the FOI Act, the Department will require sufficient information concerning the specific existing documents you are seeking access to, so as to enable the Department to identify those documents.

You now have an opportunity to revise your request to enable it to proceed.

You may wish to revise your request, for example;

How many people were invited or will be invited (for future dates) to the Citizenship Ceremonies at the City of Stonnington Council (VIC) below :

Tuesday 20 September 2022
Wednesday 12 October 2022
Wednesday 16 November 2022
Tuesday 6 December 2022
January 26 2023

Your request is currently not a valid request for the purposes of section 15(2)(b) of the FOI Act. As part of this practical refusal consultation, you have 14 days to do one of the following:

• withdraw your request;
• make a revised request;
• indicate that you do not wish to revise your request.

If you do not do one of the three things listed above during the consultation period (14 days) or you do not consult the contact person listed below during this period, the Department will take no further action with your request.

Contact

Should you wish to revise your request or have any questions in relation to this process, please do not hesitate to contact [Department of Home Affairs request email].

Kind regards

FOI Officer - Jade
Freedom of Information
Department of Home Affairs
E: [Department of Home Affairs request email]

Personal-Privacy
OFFICIAL: Sensitive

show quoted sections

OFFICIAL: Sensitive
Personal-Privacy

In reply please quote:
FOI Request: FA 22/11/01392
File Number: FA22/11/01392

Dear Chuck

Acknowledgement of Freedom of Information Access request

This letter acknowledges that on 28 November 2022 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

On 28 November 2022 you requested access to the following:

Could you please indicate how many applicants were awaiting the Citizenship Ceremony invitation at the Stonington Council as at the 3rd Of September 2022?

Also, how many people were invited or will be invited (for future dates) to the Citizenship Ceremonies at the City of Stonnington Council (VIC) below :
Tuesday 20 September 2022
Wednesday 12 October 2022
Wednesday 16 November 2022
Tuesday 6 December 2022
January 26 2023.

On 28 November 2022 you amended the scope of your request to:

How many people were invited or will be invited (for future dates) to the Citizenship Ceremonies at the City of Stonnington Council (VIC) below :
Tuesday 20 September 2022
Wednesday 12 October 2022
Wednesday 16 November 2022
Tuesday 6 December 2022
January 26 2023

Your request has been allocated FOI request number FA 22/11/01392. 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 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 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 [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

FOI Officer - Jade
Freedom of Information
Department of Home Affairs
E: [Department of Home Affairs request email]

Personal-Privacy
OFFICIAL: Sensitive

show quoted sections

OFFICIAL

FOI Request FA 22/11/01392  

Good morning Chuck,

I refer to your request received on 28 November 2022 for access to
documents under the FOI Act. 

The current due date for your request is 28 December 2022. 

Due to extended public holiday closures at this time of year, in order for
the Department to complete the process of retrieving all 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 27 January 2023. 

It would assist the Department in managing its FOI caseload if you could
provide a response to this request by close of business, Monday 19
December 2022.

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

Yours sincerely,

[Electronically signed]

Phil

Position No. 60157242

Authorised FOI Officer - Freedom of Information

FOI and Records Management Branch | Legal Group

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

Email [2][Department of Home Affairs request email]

[3]cid:image002.jpg@01D85BA0.642F5C30

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 and ABF 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]

OFFICIAL

In reply please quote:

FOI Request: FA 22/11/01392

File Number:  FA22/11/01392      

Dear Chuck,

I refer to your request to access documents under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act), which the Department of Home Affairs
(the Department) received on 28 November 2022.

As provided under section 29 of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the
FOI Act) and the Freedom of Information (Charges) Regulations 1982 (the
Regulations), I have determined that payment is required for this request
to be processed.

Preliminary assessment of charges

I have assessed the work the Department would need to do to process your
request, taking into account the time that would be spent by the relevant
business areas in producing documents from the Department’s computer
systems under section 17 of the FOI Act and assessing the documents for
release. I have calculated the charge as follows:

Search and retrieval: (1 hours 5 minutes @ $15 per hour) = $16.00

Decision making: No charge

(no charges are applied for the first five hours of decision-making)

Total: $16.00

(charge has been rounded down to the nearest whole dollar amount)

Next steps

Within 30 days of this email you must:

•      pay the charge indicated in the attached invoice for your request
to proceed, and/or

•      write to the Department if you believe the charge has been wrongly
assessed, should be reduced or not imposed, or

•      withdraw your request.

Your request will not be processed until you take one of these actions.
Your request will be withdrawn if you do not take action with 30 days.

Option 1: Pay the charge

If the Department does not make a decision on your request within the
statutory time limit, we will refund your payment.

Details of how to pay are contained in the attached invoice.

Option 2: Write to the Department to contend charges are incorrect or
should be waived or reduced

You can contest the charge on the grounds that the charge was not properly
calculated, or:

•       that payment of the charge, or part of it, would cause you
financial hardship

•       that giving access to the documents is in the general public
interest, or in the interest of a substantial section of the public.

This is not an exhaustive list and the Department may consider any other
relevant matters.

Please set out your reasons as clearly as possible and provide supporting
evidence.

The Department has a statutory timeframe of 30 days from the date of your
response to make a decision to reduce or not impose a charge. We will
notify you of our charges decision in writing.

You may still dispute the charge if you have paid the charge. If the
Department agrees to reduce or waive the charge, and the final charge
amount is less than the amount you have paid, we will issue you with a
refund.

Option 3: Withdraw your request

To withdraw your request, please send an email to
[1][Department of Home Affairs request email] or reply to this email stating that you wish to
withdraw the request.

If you withdraw your request, we will close your request and no charges
will be incurred.

Timeframe for your response

You must respond to this notice within 30 days, which is by Friday, 27
January 2023.

If you do not provide a written response within this timeframe your
request will be deemed withdrawn under section 29(2) of the Act. No
charges will be incurred.

Legislation and further information

A copy of the FOI Act is available at
[2]https://www.legislation.gov.au/Series/C2...

Information about how we calculate charges can be seen at: [3]We consider
your Freedom of Information request (homeaffairs.gov.au)

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner also provides
information about charging at: [4]What charges may apply? - Home
(oaic.gov.au)

Contact

Please contact [5][Department of Home Affairs request email] if you have any questions about
this notice.

Yours sincerely,

[Electronically signed]

Phil

Position No. 60157242

Authorised FOI Officer - Freedom of Information

FOI and Records Management Branch | Legal Group

Department of Home Affairs  | [6]www.homeaffairs.gov.au

Email [7][Department of Home Affairs request email]

[8]cid:image002.jpg@01D85BA0.642F5C30

OFFICIAL

OFFICIAL

show quoted sections

OFFICIAL

In reply please quote:

FOI Request:       FA 22/11/01392

File Number:        FA22/11/01392 

Dear Chuck

Freedom of Information (FOI) request – Access Decision

On 28 November 2022, the Department of Home Affairs (the Department)
received a request for access to a document under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act).

The purpose of this letter is to provide you with a decision on your
request for access under the FOI Act.

1            Scope of request

You have requested access to the following document:

Could you please indicate how many applicants were awaiting the
Citizenship Ceremony invitation at the Stonington Council as at the 3rd Of
September 2022?

Also, how many people were invited or will be invited (for future dates)
to the Citizenship Ceremonies at the City of Stonnington Council (VIC)
below:

Tuesday 20 September 2022

Wednesday 12 October 2022

Wednesday 16 November 2022

Tuesday 6 December 2022

January 26 2023.

On 28 November 2022 the Department issued you a notice under section 24AB
of the FOI Act, to clarify the scope to the following:

[1] How many people were invited or will be invited (for future dates) to
the Citizenship Ceremonies at the City of Stonnington Council (VIC) below:

Tuesday 20 September 2022

Wednesday 12 October 2022

Wednesday 16 November 2022

Tuesday 6 December 2022

[2] January 26 2023.

2            Authority to make decision

I am an officer authorised under section 23 of the FOI Act to make
decisions in respect of requests to access document or to amend or
annotate records.

3            Relevant material

In reaching my decision I referred to the following:

·       the terms of your request

·       the document relevant to the request

·       the FOI Act

·       Guidelines published by the Office of the Information Commissioner
under section 93A of the FOI Act (the FOI Guidelines)

·       advice from Departmental officers with responsibility for matters
relating to the document to which you sought access.

4            Document in scope of request

In accordance with section 17 of the FOI Act, the Department has used its
computer system to produce one document that contains information that
falls within the scope of part 1 of your request. The data produced in the
document existed in the possession of the Department on 28 November 2022
when your FOI request was received.

In relation to part 2 of your request, the Department has undertaken
reasonable searches in relation to the data you have requested access to.

In summary, the searches undertaken by the relevant business areas in
relation to part 2 of your request included interrogation of standard
record-keeping systems. As at the 28 November 2022, there was no data
available on the number of people invited to attend the Australian
citizenship ceremony to be conducted by the City of Stonnington (VIC) on
26 January 2023.

Having regard to your request and the types of documents that may fall
within the scope of part 2 of your request, I am satisfied that the
searches conducted were extremely thorough and all reasonable steps have
been taken to locate any data relevant to your request.

5            Decision

The decision in relation to the data in the possession of the Department
which fall within the scope of part 1 of your request is as follows:

·       Release one document in full

Section 24A of the FOI Act provides that the Department may refuse a
request for access to a data if all reasonable steps have been taken to
find the data and the Department is satisfied that the data does not
exist.

I am satisfied that the Department has undertaken reasonable searches in
relation to part 2 of your request and that no data was in the possession
of the Department on 28 November 2022 when your FOI request was received.
As such, I am refusing part 2 of your request based on the application of
section 24A of the FOI Act.

6            Legislation

A copy of the FOI Act is available at
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Series/C2.... If you are unable to
access the legislation through this website, please contact our office for
a copy.

7            Final decision on charge

On 19 December 2022 the Department issued you with a notice of the
preliminary charge in the amount of $16.00 to process your request, which
includes the first five hours of decision-making at no cost.

Amount already paid

On 11 January 2023, the Department received your payment of $16.00 - the
total charge indicated in the preliminary charges notice issued by the
Department.

As you have paid the full amount required, the Department is now releasing
the document to you. If you are dissatisfied with my decision to impose
charges, your review rights are set out in the paragraph titled “Your
Review Rights” below.

8            Your Review Rights

Internal Review

If you disagree with this decision, you have the right to apply for an
internal review by the Department of this decision. Any request for
internal review must be provided to the Department within 30 days of you
being notified of the decision.  Where possible please attach reasons why
you believe a review of the decision is necessary. The internal review
will be carried out by an officer other than the original decision maker
and the Department must make a review decision within 30 days. 

Applications for review should be sent to:

By email to: [1][email address]

OR

By mail to:

Freedom of Information Section

Department of Home Affairs

PO Box 25

BELCONNEN ACT 2617

Review by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

You may apply directly to the Office of the Australian Information
Commissioner (OAIC) for a review of this decision. You must apply in
writing within 60 days of this notice. For further information about
review rights and how to submit a request for a review to the OAIC, please
see
[2]https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor....

9            Making a Complaint

You may complain to the Australian Information Commissioner about action
taken by the Department in relation to your request.

Your enquiries to the Australian Information Commissioner can be directed
to:

Phone 1300 363 992 (local call charge)
Email  [3][email address]

There is no particular form required to make a complaint to the Australian
Information Commissioner. The request should be in writing and should set
out the grounds on which it is considered that the action taken in
relation to the request should be investigated and identify the Department
of Home Affairs as the relevant agency.

10         Contacting the FOI Section

Should you wish to discuss this decision, please do not hesitate to
contact the FOI Section at [4][Department of Home Affairs request email].   

Yours sincerely,

[Electronically signed]

Phil

Position No. 60157242

Authorised FOI Officer - Freedom of Information

FOI and Records Management Branch | Legal Group

Department of Home Affairs  | [5]www.homeaffairs.gov.au

Email [6][Department of Home Affairs request email]

[7]cid:image002.jpg@01D85BA0.642F5C30

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 and ABF 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. mailto:foi.reviews@
2. https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor...
3. mailto:[email address]
4. mailto:[Department of Home Affairs request email]
5. http://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/
6. mailto:[Department of Home Affairs request email]

OFFICIAL

Dear Chuck,

Thank you for your email. In regards to the decision made for FA 22/11/01392, the Citizenship data for the 26th of January was not available at the time when your request was finalised you would need to lodge an new FOI request for the date for January 26.

Regards

Position number: 60007884
FOI Officer | Freedom of Information Section
FOI & Records Management Branch | Legal Group
Department of Home Affairs
E: [Department of Home Affairs request email]

OFFICIAL

show quoted sections