UNCLASSIFIED
 
File No: 17/6450
Our Ref: 1702-F1642
 
Dear Mr Smith
 
Re: Freedom of Information (FOI) Request
 
Thank you for your e-mail of 16 February 2017 in which you seek access
under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 to:
 
“[T]he document(s) which describe the data provided to the external
organisation(s) responsible for conducting the ballot(s) for all
Enterprise Agreements put to staff for a vote.
The scope of this request is limited only to those ballots undertaken for
enterprise agreements which were proposed to take effect after 30 June
2014.
The document shall describe the data given to the ballot agent. For
example, employee name, employee identification number, employee email
address, etc.
I exclude the data for specific employees here; I am only after the
‘meta-data’”
 
This e-mail sets out some information about how your request will be
processed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
 
Searches are now being undertaken in relevant areas of the Department for
documents relevant to your request.
 
Scope of request:
 
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 16 February 2017 and the 30-day statutory
period for processing your request commenced from the day after that
date.  You should therefore expect a decision from us by 20 March 2017
(noting 19 March is a Sunday). The period of 30 days may be extended in
certain circumstances.  We will advise you if any extension of time is
required.
 
Charges:
 
Please note that the Department issues charges for processing FOI
requests.  We will advise you of these charges when we are in a position
to estimate the resources required to process your request.
 
Timing of release:
 
As the subject matter of your request will require DFAT to upload any
documents released to you to the Department’s FOI Disclosure Log, we take
this opportunity to advise you that the Department’s policy is to upload
documents to the disclosure log on the same day as the documents are
released to you.
 
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 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
[1][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.  The Department’s privacy policy is available
at [2]dfat.gov.au/privacy.html.
 
Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to
contact us by return e-mail at [3][DFAT request email].
 
Yours sincerely
 
 

FOI Team
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
 

FOI & Privacy Law Section      E |  [DFAT request email]

Corporate Legal Branch      T |  +61 2 6261 1111

Legal Division W |  [4]www.dfat.gov.au

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UNCLASSIFIED
 
Dear Mr Smith
 
Please find attached the charges letter in relation to this FOI request.
 
Yours sincerely
 

FOI Team
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
 

FOI & Privacy Law Section      E |  [DFAT request email]

Corporate Legal Branch      T |  +61 2 6261 1111

Legal Division W |  [1]www.dfat.gov.au

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