Individualised Assessment Obligations File Notes 2013-2019
Dear Department of Home Affairs,
Please provide the Individualised Assessment Obligations File Notes, Individualised Assessment Protection File Notes, Enhanced Screening Protection File Notes and interview transcripts which were conducted for the purposes of individualised assessment of Australia's non-refoulement obligations for the following instances:
- During the Operations Sovereign Borders reporting period 01 July 2019 to 31 July 2019 when 5 Sri Lankan nationals were intercepted by the Australian Government at sea.
- During the Operations Sovereign Borders reporting period 1 May 2019 to 31 May 2019, when 20 Sri Lankan nationals were intercepted by the Australian Government at sea.
- During the Operations Sovereign Borders reporting period 1 December 2017 to 31 December 2017, when 29 Sri Lankan nationals were intercepted by the Australian Government at sea.
- During the Operations Sovereign Borders reporting period 1 June 2017 to 30 June 2017, when 6 Sri Lankan nationals were intercepted by the Australian Government at sea.
- During the Operations Sovereign Borders reporting period 1 March 2017 to 31 March 2017, when 25 Sri Lankan nationals were intercepted by the Australian Government at sea.
- During the Operations Sovereign Borders reporting period 1 August 2016 to 31 August 2016, when 6 Sri Lankan nationals were intercepted by the Australian Government at sea.
- During the Operations Sovereign Borders reporting period 1 June 2016 to 30 June 2016, when 12 Sri Lankan nationals were intercepted by the Australian Government at sea.
- During the Operations Sovereign Borders reporting period 1 February 2016 to 29 February 2016, when 5 Sri Lankan nationals were intercepted by the Australian Government at sea.
- On 19 May 2013 when 86 passengers were intercepted by Australian authorities near the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
Yours faithfully,
Elias Ross
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION
OFFICIAL
In reply please quote:
FOI Request: FA 20/09/00113
File Number: OBJ2020/28445
Dear Mr Ross,
Acknowledgement of Freedom of Information Access request
I refer to your correspondence received on 2 September 2020 seeking access to documents held by the Department of Home Affairs (the Department) under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act).
Scope of request
You have requested access to the following:
Please provide the Individualised Assessment Obligations File Notes, Individualised Assessment Protection File Notes, Enhanced Screening Protection File Notes and interview transcripts which were conducted for the purposes of individualised assessment of Australia's non-refoulement obligations for the following instances:
- During the Operations Sovereign Borders reporting period 01 July 2019 to 31 July 2019 when 5 Sri Lankan nationals were intercepted by the Australian Government at sea.
- During the Operations Sovereign Borders reporting period 1 May 2019 to 31 May 2019, when 20 Sri Lankan nationals were intercepted by the Australian Government at sea.
- During the Operations Sovereign Borders reporting period 1 December 2017 to 31 December 2017, when 29 Sri Lankan nationals were intercepted by the Australian Government at sea.
- During the Operations Sovereign Borders reporting period 1 June 2017 to 30 June 2017, when 6 Sri Lankan nationals were intercepted by the Australian Government at sea.
- During the Operations Sovereign Borders reporting period 1 March 2017 to 31 March 2017, when 25 Sri Lankan nationals were intercepted by the Australian Government at sea.
- During the Operations Sovereign Borders reporting period 1 August 2016 to 31 August 2016, when 6 Sri Lankan nationals were intercepted by the Australian Government at sea.
- During the Operations Sovereign Borders reporting period 1 June 2016 to 30 June 2016, when 12 Sri Lankan nationals were intercepted by the Australian Government at sea.
- During the Operations Sovereign Borders reporting period 1 February 2016 to 29 February 2016, when 5 Sri Lankan nationals were intercepted by the Australian Government at sea.
- On 19 May 2013 when 86 passengers were intercepted by Australian authorities near the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
Your request was received by the Department on 2 September 2020 and has been allocated FOI request number FA 20/09/00113 . Please include your FOI request number in all correspondence with the Freedom of Information Section.
Timeframe for receiving your decision
The statutory timeframe for processing a request is 30 days from the date upon which your application was received by the Department.
Your review rights in relation to your request are available on the website of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner here.
Exclusion of staff details
The Department’s policy is to exclude the personal details of staff not in the Senior Executive Service (SES), as well as the direct contact details of SES staff, contained in documents that fall within scope of an FOI request. If you require personal details of non-SES officers, or direct contact details of SES staff, please inform us so the decision maker may consider your request. Otherwise we will take it that you agree to that information being excluded from the scope of your request.
Duplicate documents
If the FOI decision-maker deems a document to be a duplicate, they will not assess those pages as part of your FOI request. This means that if a there is a decision to release the document to you, you will receive only one copy, even if multiple copies of that document exists.
Publication of document
Where documents are released to you in response to your request, the Department may be required to publish these documents on its website within 10 working days in accordance with section 11C of the FOI Act. Publication will not be required where the documents contain personal or business affairs information.
Contacting the FOI Section
Should you wish to discuss your request you may contact the FOI Section at [DIBP request email].
Yours sincerely,
FOI Officer
Freedom of Information
FOI and Records Management Branch | Data Division
Strategy & Law Enforcement Group
Department of Home Affairs | Email: [DIBP request email]
OFFICIAL
Dear FOI,
I was given a practical refusal notice for this request and would like to amend my request as follows. This revision reduces the count from 194 to 22 individuals. This should satisfy the practical refusal notice:
Please provide the Individualised Assessment Obligations File Notes, Individualised Assessment Protection File Notes, Enhanced Screening Protection File Notes and interview transcripts which were conducted for the purposes of individualised assessment of Australia's non-refoulement obligations for the following instances:
- During the Operations Sovereign Borders reporting period 01 July 2019 to 31 July 2019 when 5 Sri Lankan nationals were intercepted by the Australian Government at sea.
- During the Operations Sovereign Borders reporting period 1 June 2017 to 30 June 2017, when 6 Sri Lankan nationals were intercepted by the Australian Government at sea.
- During the Operations Sovereign Borders reporting period 1 August 2016 to 31 August 2016, when 6 Sri Lankan nationals were intercepted by the Australian Government at sea.
- During the Operations Sovereign Borders reporting period 1 February 2016 to 29 February 2016, when 5 Sri Lankan nationals were intercepted by the Australian Government at sea.
Many thanks.
Yours sincerely,
Elias Ross
** This is an automated response. Please do not reply to this email **
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
OFFICIAL
Good morning,
I refer to your request received on 2 September 2020 for access to documents under the FOI Act.
The current due date for your request is 14 October 2020.
Due to the number of requests currently being processed by our office, we will not be able to finalise your request by the original due date.
The Department seeks your agreement under section 15AA of the FOI Act to extend the timeframe for the processing of your request by 30 days. This would extend the due date for your request to 13 November 2020.
It would assist the Department in managing its FOI caseload if you could provide a response to this request by close of business, Friday 9 October 2020.
If you wish to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to contact the FOI section on the details below.
Yours sincerely,
FOI Officer
Freedom of Information
FOI and Records Management Branch | Data Division
Strategy & Law Enforcement Group
Department of Home Affairs | Email: [DIBP request email]
OFFICIAL
Dear FOI,
Last month I agreed to an extension of 30 days under 15AA of the FOI Act in relation to this request. I am writing as it is now overdue and would like to confirm that it will be fulfilled.
Many thanks in advance.
Yours sincerely,
Elias Ross
OFFICIAL
Dear Mr Ross,
Thank you for your email enquiring about the progress of your FOI request.
Please be advised that the Department is currently processing a large number of FOI requests. Our staff are working hard and the Department is committed to processing your request as quickly as possible.
A number of documents have been identified as falling within the scope of your request and an FOI Officer will be reviewing those documents in due course. A decision on access will be made on your request and you will be notified of this as soon as possible.
Yours sincerely,
FOI Officer
Freedom of Information
FOI and Records Management Branch | Data Division
Strategy & Law Enforcement Group
Department of Home Affairs | Email: [DIBP request email]
OFFICIAL
Dear FOI,
I am writing to ask for an update on the progress of this request. Many thanks in advance
Yours sincerely,
Elias Ross
OFFICIAL
Dear Mr Ross,
Thank you for your email enquiring about the progress of your FOI request.
Please be advised that the Department is currently processing a large number of FOI requests. Our staff are working hard and the Department is committed to processing your request as quickly as possible.
The Department appreciates your ongoing patience.
Yours sincerely,
FOI Officer
Freedom of Information
FOI and Records Management Branch | Data Division
Strategy & Law Enforcement Group
Department of Home Affairs | Email: [DIBP request email]
OFFICIAL
Dear FOI,
I am writing to ask for an update on the progress of this request.
Yours sincerely,
Elias Ross