OFFICIAL

 

FOI Reference: LEX 7926

 

Dear Mr Norwood

 

Thank you for your email dated 6 May 2023 seeking access to documents
under the Freedom of Information Act 1982.

 

This email sets out some information about how your request will be
processed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

 

Scope of request:

 

You have sought access to:

 

“a complete copy of the departments' Freedom of Information (FOI) logs for
the period 2013-2023, including any secondary departments controlled by
the agency”

 

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.

 

Request to withdraw as document requested is publicly available:

 

Paragraph 2.34 of the FOI Guidelines states:

 

“The right of access applies to documents that exist at the time the FOI
request was made. An applicant cannot insist that their request cover
documents created after the request is received.”

 

We note that a complete copy of the department’s FOI logs for the period
2013 – 2023 is publicly available at
[1]https://www.dfat.gov.au/about-us/corpora....

 

Should you proceed with your FOI request we will provide you with access
to a copy of the publicly available record, as that is the document that
existed at the time the FOI request was made.

 

On this basis, please confirm by COB Friday 12 May 2023 if you would like
to proceed with your FOI request or withdraw.

 

Timeframe for receiving our decision:

 

We received your request on 6 May 2023, 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. 

 

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:
[2]https://www.dfat.gov.au/about-us/corpora....

 

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
[3][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 dfat.gov.au/privacy.html.

 

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.

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Watson Norwood <[FOI #10262 email]>
Sent: Saturday, 6 May 2023 11:43 PM
To: FOI <[DFAT request email]>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Freedom of Information request - Freedom of
Information Logs - FOI Request

 

CAUTION: This email originated from outside the organisation. Do not click
links or open attachments unless you recognise the sender.

 

Dear Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade,

 

I am writing to make a request under the Freedom of Information Act for a
complete copy of the departments' Freedom of Information (FOI) logs for
the period 2013-2023, including any secondary departments controlled by
the agency.

 

I request that this is provided as a document and not a simple redirect to
the agency website as I am of the view that your online disclosure logs do
not actively reflect your FOI requests that you have received in this
period.

 

I would appreciate it if you could provide me with this information in an
electronic format, such as a PDF or spreadsheet, if possible.

 

If there are any fees associated with fulfilling this request, please let
me know in advance so that I can consider my options.

 

Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

 

Sincerely,

 

Watson Norwood

 

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Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[11][FOI #10262 email]

 

Is [12][DFAT request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information
requests to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade? If so, please contact
us using this form:

[13]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

 

This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This
message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet.
More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:

[14]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

 

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.

 

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

 

 

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