OFFICIAL

Dear Moe

Thank you for contacting DPS Information Requests. Please accept this email as confirmation your request has been received by the team.

The DPS Information Requests Policy can be found at:

https://www.aph.gov.au/About+AF8-Parliam...

Kind regards,

DPS Information Requests

OFFICIAL
-----Original Message-----
From: Moe +ADw-foi+-request-10753-2e4b3680+AEA-righttoknow.org.au+AD4-
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2023 6:01 PM
To: DPS Information Requests (DPS) +ADw-dpsinforequests+AEA-aph.gov.au+AD4-
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Illumination of Parliament House

Dear Department of Parliamentary Services,

I am looking for the following document related to the Australian Governments decision to illuminate Parliament House in blue and white. Specifically, the illumination as referred to in the Joint Statement by the Presiding Officers found in this link: https://www.aph.gov.au/News+AF8-and+AF8-...

What I am looking for is:
- Any and all documents including, but not limited to, meeting minutes, correspondence, talking points and file notes that relate to the decision to illuminate the Australian Parliament House.
- Any and all documents that relate to the costs associated with the illumination of the Australian Parliament House in blue and white
- Any and all documents that including communications or correspondence with a foreign government, foreign or domestic organisations, foreign or domestic individuals either requesting, encouraging or suggesting that the Australian Parliament House be illuminated in blue and white.

Yours faithfully,
Moe

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
foi+-request-10753-2e4b3680+AEA-righttoknow.org.au

Is dpsinforequests+AEA-aph.gov.au the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests to Department of Parliamentary Services? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change+AF...

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:
https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...

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.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

hide quoted sections

OFFICIAL

Dear Moe

 

We refer to your email requesting the release of documents relating to the
decision to illuminate Australian

Parliament House (APH) on 9 October 2023.

 

As noted under DPS Information Requests Policy (Policy), all parliamentary
departments are excluded from the

application of the FOI Act. However, DPS recognises the importance of
transparency and public accountability, and

supports the principle that administrative documents should be open to
scrutiny. DPS will consequently provide

access to documents subject to any claim of appropriate immunity or
exemptions that would apply under the FOI

Act or the Policy.

 

The decision-maker has considered your request and determined as below:

 

o Any and all documents including, but not limited to, meeting minutes,
correspondence, talking points and file

notes that relate to the decision to illuminate the Australian Parliament
House.

 

The decision maker has considered this category of your request and is
satisfied that the documents fall under Group

2 under clauses 17(b)(iv) and (v) of the Policy and will therefore not be
released.

 

o Any and all documents that relate to the costs associated with the
illumination of the Australian Parliament

House in blue and white

 

The decision maker has considered this category of your request and is
satisfied that the documents fall under Group

3 under clauses 17 (c)(i) and (iv) of the Policy and will therefore not be
released. The authorised decision maker has

exercised their absolute discretion under the Policy to not grant access
to the documents.

 

o Any and all documents that including communications or correspondence
with a foreign government, foreign

or domestic organisations, foreign or domestic individuals either
requesting, encouraging or suggesting that

the Australian Parliament House be illuminated in blue and white

 

DPS is not in possession of any documents as described.

 

Regards

DPS Information Requests

 

OFFICIAL

-----Original Message-----
From: Moe <[FOI #10753 email]>
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2023 6:01 PM
To: DPS Information Requests (DPS) <[Department of Parliamentary Services request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Illumination of Parliament House

 

Dear Department of Parliamentary Services,

 

I am looking for the following document related to the Australian
Governments decision to illuminate Parliament House in blue and white.
Specifically, the illumination as referred to in the Joint Statement by
the Presiding Officers found in this link:
[1]https://www.aph.gov.au/News_and_Events/J...

 

What I am looking for is:

- Any and all documents including, but not limited to, meeting minutes,
correspondence, talking points and file notes that relate to the decision
to illuminate the Australian Parliament House.

- Any and all documents that relate to the costs associated with the
illumination of the Australian Parliament House in blue and white

- Any and all documents that including communications or correspondence
with a foreign government, foreign or domestic organisations, foreign or
domestic individuals either requesting, encouraging or suggesting that the
Australian Parliament House be illuminated in blue and white.

 

Yours faithfully,

Moe

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

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

[2][FOI #10753 email]

 

Is [3][Department of Parliamentary Services request email] the wrong address for Freedom of
Information requests to Department of Parliamentary Services? If so,
please contact us using this form:

[4]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...

 

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:

[5]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...

 

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.

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. https://www.aph.gov.au/News_and_Events/J...
2. mailto:[FOI #10753 email]
3. mailto:[Department of Parliamentary Services request email]
4. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...
5. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...

hide quoted sections

OFFICIAL

Dear Moe

 

Thank you for your email.

 

Four documents were identified in our searches as relating to or falling
within the scope of your request.

 

The documents were considered by the decision-maker as falling the
categories listed below, as set out in the Policy which can be downloaded
by clicking the link below:

 

[1]https://www.aph.gov.au/-/media/05_About_...

 

Group 2

 

Clause 17(b)(iv) states that documents which fall into the following
category are not to be released:

internal deliberative documents, including advice provided to the
Presiding Officers by DPS employees, contractors, and office holders. 

 

One of the four documents were identified as falling within the
description of an internal deliberative document.

 

Clause 17(b)(v) states that documents which fall into the following
category are not to be released:

documents that DPS does not have authority to release (e.g. where
Presiding Officer approval would be required prior to release).

 

One of the four documents were identified as falling within the
description of a document that the Department of Parliamentary Services
does not have authority to release.

 

Group 3

 

Clause 17(c)(i) states that DPS may in its absolute discretion, determine
that access can be granted to documents which fall into the following
categories:

documents relating to the financial or property interests of the
Commonwealth.

 

The decision maker has determined that access should not be granted to one
of the four documents as it relates to the financial interests of the
Commonwealth.

 

Clause 17(c)(iv) states that DPS may in its absolute discretion, determine
that access can be granted to documents which fall into the following
categories:

documents that if disclosed under this policy would disclose information
concerning a person in respect of his or her business or professional
affairs or concerning the business, commercial or financial affairs of an
organisation or undertaking.

 

The decision maker has determined that access should not be granted to one
of the four documents as doing so would disclose information concerning a
person’s business affairs.

 

 

Given the above, please confirm if you would still like to apply for
internal review of the decision.

 

Regards

DPS Information Requests

 

 

 

OFFICIAL

-----Original Message-----
From: Moe <[FOI #10753 email]>
Sent: Monday, November 13, 2023 4:07 PM
To: DPS Information Requests (DPS) <[Department of Parliamentary Services request email]>
Subject: Internal review of Freedom of Information request - Illumination
of Parliament House

 

Dear DPS Information Requests (DPS),

 

 

 

Thank you for your response.

 

 

 

Are you able to provide me details of:

 

 

 

Group 2 under clauses 17(b)(iv) and (v) of the Policy

 

Group 3 under clauses 17 (c)(i) and (iv) of the Policy

 

 

 

Is it also possible to get an internal review?

 

 

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

 

Moe

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----

 

 

 

OFFICIAL

 

 

 

Dear Moe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We refer to your email requesting the release of documents relating to the

 

decision to illuminate Australian

 

 

 

Parliament House (APH) on 9 October 2023.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As noted under DPS Information Requests Policy (Policy), all parliamentary

 

departments are excluded from the

 

 

 

application of the FOI Act. However, DPS recognises the importance of

 

transparency and public accountability, and

 

 

 

supports the principle that administrative documents should be open to

 

scrutiny. DPS will consequently provide

 

 

 

access to documents subject to any claim of appropriate immunity or

 

exemptions that would apply under the FOI

 

 

 

Act or the Policy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The decision-maker has considered your request and determined as below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

o Any and all documents including, but not limited to, meeting minutes,

 

correspondence, talking points and file

 

 

 

notes that relate to the decision to illuminate the Australian Parliament

 

House.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The decision maker has considered this category of your request and is

 

satisfied that the documents fall under Group

 

 

 

2 under clauses 17(b)(iv) and (v) of the Policy and will therefore not be

 

released.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

o Any and all documents that relate to the costs associated with the

 

illumination of the Australian Parliament

 

 

 

House in blue and white

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The decision maker has considered this category of your request and is

 

satisfied that the documents fall under Group

 

 

 

3 under clauses 17 (c)(i) and (iv) of the Policy and will therefore not be

 

released. The authorised decision maker has

 

 

 

exercised their absolute discretion under the Policy to not grant access

 

to the documents.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

o Any and all documents that including communications or correspondence

 

with a foreign government, foreign

 

 

 

or domestic organisations, foreign or domestic individuals either

 

requesting, encouraging or suggesting that

 

 

 

the Australian Parliament House be illuminated in blue and white

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DPS is not in possession of any documents as described.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regards

 

 

 

DPS Information Requests

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OFFICIAL

 

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

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

 

[2][FOI #10753 email]

 

 

 

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:

 

[3]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

References

Visible links
1. https://www.aph.gov.au/-/media/05_About_...
2. mailto:[FOI #10753 email]
3. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...

hide quoted sections