OFFICIAL
FOI Request: LEX 11842

 

Dear Mr Hamiltonshire,

 

Thank you for your email dated 2 December 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:

'...the Style Guides/Brand Guides/Writing Guides currently used for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade'.

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 2 December 2024, 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.   

You have stated in your request:

'Given the upcoming holiday period for the APS, ...I forecast my consent for any required 30 day extension to deal with the request at this time.'

Thus, pursuant to section 15AA of the Freedom of Information Act 1982, a decision is currently due to you by 31 January 2025.

 
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 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 [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 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

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© 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.

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