OFFICIAL

 

FOI Request: LEX 11016

 

Dear John Smith

 

Thank you for your email dated Wednesday 5 June 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:

 

I seek access to the following:

 

1. Documents relating to the establishment of diplomatic relations between
Australia and Antigua and Barbuda.

 

2. Documents relating to the establishment of diplomatic relations between
Australia and Burundi.

 

3. Documents relating to the establishment of diplomatic relations between
Australia and Chad.

 

4. Documents relating to the establishment of diplomatic relations between
Australia and Guinea-Bissau.

 

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 Wednesday 5 June 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. 

 

Your request is therefore due for a response by: Friday 5 July 2024.

 

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 [1]disclosure log.

 

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, gender pronouns, 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
[2][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.  You can access on the department’s website a
copy of the [3]privacy policy.

 

Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to
contact us by return e-mail at: [4][DFAT request 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

[5]dfat.gov.au | [6]Twitter | [7]Facebook | [8]Instagram  | [9]LinkedIn

© Kim Hill, Among Women (2011)

 

[10]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.

 

 

show quoted sections

OFFICIAL

 

FOI Request: LEX 11016

 

Dear John Smith

 

We are writing in regards to your request sent on Wednesday 5 June 2024.

 

Informal consultation regarding your request

 

Please be advised that the department has begun to undertake document
searches to satisfy your request.

 

Relevant line areas have requested to clarify the scope of your request,
particularly, the type of documents you are seeking.

 

The department invites you to specify the documents you wish to capture as
part of your FOI request.

 

Potential to create document and withdraw your request

 

Relevant line areas have advised that it may be possible to create a
document outlining the dates with some simple information relating to the
establishment of diplomatic relations between Australia and the countries
you have listed below.

 

We would be grateful if you could please confirm whether this is something
you would like for the Department to provide.

 

Should this be the case, we would invite for your to withdraw your request
as the document will be provided to you outside of the FOI process.

 

Next steps

 

We would be grateful for your response by: COB Friday 7 June 2024.

 

Should you have any questions, please respond to: [1][email address]

 

Kind Regards

 

DFAT FOI Team

_______________________________
Freedom of Information Section
Public Interest Law Branch | Regulatory and Legal Policy Division
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

[2]dfat.gov.au | [3]X | [4]Facebook | [5]Instagram  | [6]LinkedIn

 

© 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.

 

 

 

 

From: FOI FOI
Sent: Wednesday, June 5, 2024 9:34 AM
To: John Smith <[FOI #11490 email]>
Subject: Your DFAT FOI Request - Acknowledgement - LEX 11016
[SEC=OFFICIAL]

 

OFFICIAL

 

FOI Request: LEX 11016

 

Dear John Smith

 

Thank you for your email dated Wednesday 5 June 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:

 

I seek access to the following:

 

1. Documents relating to the establishment of diplomatic relations between
Australia and Antigua and Barbuda.

 

2. Documents relating to the establishment of diplomatic relations between
Australia and Burundi.

 

3. Documents relating to the establishment of diplomatic relations between
Australia and Chad.

 

4. Documents relating to the establishment of diplomatic relations between
Australia and Guinea-Bissau.

 

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 Wednesday 5 June 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. 

 

Your request is therefore due for a response by: Friday 5 July 2024.

 

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 [7]disclosure log.

 

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, gender pronouns, 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
[8][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.  You can access on the department’s website a
copy of the [9]privacy policy.

 

Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to
contact us by return e-mail at: [10][DFAT request 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

[11]dfat.gov.au | [12]Twitter | [13]Facebook | [14]Instagram  |
[15]LinkedIn

© Kim Hill, Among Women (2011)

 

[16]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.

 

 

show quoted sections

OFFICIAL

 

FOI Request: LEX 11016

 

Good afternoon John Smith

 

Thank you for your confirmation to withdraw your FOI request.

 

The department will provide you with the requested information and
documentation through an administrative process and will respond to you in
due course.

 

We wish to advise that should you not be satisfied with the documents
provided to you via this process, it is open to you to submit another FOI
request.

 

Kind Regards

 

DFAT FOI Team

_______________________________
Freedom of Information Section
Public Interest Law Branch | Regulatory and Legal Policy Division
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

[1]dfat.gov.au | [2]X | [3]Facebook | [4]Instagram  | [5]LinkedIn

 

© 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.

 

 

 

show quoted sections

OFFICIAL

 

FOI Request: LEX 11016

 

Dear John Smith

 

Thank you for your email and patience with this matter.

 

Please see below requested information that the department has access to:

 

o Antigua & Barbuda gained independence from the United Kingdom on 1
November 1981.
o Australia established diplomatic relations with Antigua & Barbuda on
17 January 1982.
o Australia’s accredited High Commissioner at the time was R.E. Little,
and the High Commission was based in Kingston, Jamaica.

o Chad on 19 December 2005 (per AA550281L)
o Burundi on 23 August 2007 (per NA15524H)
o Guinea-Bissau on 14 March 2011 (per UN39559H)

 

Additional information

 

The department wishes to advise that should you wish to obtain more detail
regarding your requested information, you may wish to submit a request
with the National Archives of Australia: [1]Submitting an access
application online | naa.gov.au

 

Although we have provided you with assistance outside of the FOI request,
relevant line areas have undertaken necessary searches to assist with your
request.

 

Should you wish to submit another FOI request, information about how to
lodge a valid request under the FOI Act can be found: 

 

o [2]Freedom of information | Australian Government Department of
Foreign Affairs and Trade 
o [3]On accessing information under freedom of information | OAIC 

 

We hope the above has assisted with your request.

 

We now consider this matter to be finalised.

 

Kind Regards

 

DFAT FOI Team

_______________________________
Freedom of Information Section
Public Interest Law Branch | Regulatory and Legal Policy Division
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

[4]dfat.gov.au | [5]X | [6]Facebook | [7]Instagram  | [8]LinkedIn

 

© 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.

 

 

 

show quoted sections