Individualised assessments conducted at sea

Elias Ross made this Freedom of Information request to Department of Home Affairs

This request has been closed to new correspondence from the public body. Contact us if you think it ought be re-opened.

The request was partially successful.

Dear Department of Home Affairs,

I am requesting all 'Individualised Assessment Obligations File Notes', 'Individualised Assessment Protection File Notes' and other documents that have been written for the individualised assessments undertaken when persons travelling by boat from Sri Lanka in an attempt to reach Australia have been intercepted and interviewed at sea.

Yours faithfully,

Elias

FOI, Department of Home Affairs

** This is an automated response. Please do not reply to this email **

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Your email has been received by the Department of Home Affairs Freedom of
Information (FOI) Section. Please note that we will only action and
respond to FOI requests and other matters relating to the Freedom of
Information Act 1982.

 

If your email is a valid FOI request, the Department will contact you
shortly to acknowledge your request. Please do not send duplicate emails
as this may cause delays in processing times.

 

For matters not relating to the Freedom of Information Act 1982, please
refer to the information below to assist in the resolution of your
enquiry.

 

General information regarding travelling to Australia

Information for visitors to Australia can be found [1]here.

Information regarding potential visa options can be found [2]here.

 

Request for a copy of your Visa Refusal or Visa Grant letter

If you have lost or misplaced correspondence regarding your Visa Refusal
or Visa Grant, or you wish to confirm the authenticity of your Visa
Refusal or Visa Grant, you should contact the office where you lodged your
visa application. 

Details of our offices located around the world can be found [3]here.

 

Checking your current Visa details and conditions

You can check your visa details and conditions on the Department’s Visa
Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) portal which can be accessed
[4]here.  If you do not have the necessary reference numbers to access the
VEVO portal, you should contact the office where you lodged your visa
application for further information.

 

Refund of Visa fees

If you are seeking a refund of fees associated with your Visa, you should
contact the office where you lodged your visa application.  Details of our
offices located around the world can be found [5]here.

 

Making a Visa application

Registered migration agents are authorised to provide immigration advice
or assistance, including advice regarding the lodgement of visa
applications. Further information on migration agents may be found
[6]here.  Please note that the Department is unable to assist you in this
regard.

 

If you are experiencing technical difficulties in lodging your visa
application through ImmiAccount, you should submit your concerns through
the ImmiAccount Technical Support Form, which is accessible [7]here.

 

Australian Citizenship

If you are seeking evidence of your Australian Citizenship, please refer
[8]here.

 

Information on how to apply for Australian citizenship, information for
Australian citizens and Australian Citizenship Day can be found [9]here.

The FOI Section does not process these requests.

 

Movement Records/Travel History

If you are seeking evidence of your own travel movements/history you
should complete Form 1359, which can be found [10]here.

The FOI Section does not process these requests.

 

Superannuation – Evidence of Immigration Status

Information about accessing your superannuation after leaving Australia
can be found [11]here.

The FOI Section does not process these requests.

 

Changes in your situation including updating your Passport Details

If your situation has changes or is about to change, you need to tell us
because your visa might be affected.

Information can be found [12]here about how to notify the Department of a
change in your situation.

The FOI Section does not process these requests.

 

Duty Free concessions

Information relating to duty free concessions can be found [13]here.

 

General Enquiries

If you have a question, which has not been answered above, and which is
about visa, citizenship, travel or trade, including bringing goods in and
out of Australia, please refer to our general enquiries web form [14]here.

 

 

Thank you

 

Information updated 22 May 2020

 

Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by
the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received
this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and
attachments immediately.  This email, including attachments, may contain
confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.
 

Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information
by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. 
The Department of Home Affairs and ABF respect your privacy and have
obligations under the Privacy Act 1988.  

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this
email.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visi
2. http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1
3. http://www.border.gov.au/about/contact/o...
4. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/al...
5. http://www.border.gov.au/about/contact/o...
6. https://www.mara.gov.au/
7. https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa/Immi...
8. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/al...
9. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/citizens...
10. https://www.abf.gov.au/form-listing/form...
11. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/entering...
12. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/change-i...
13. http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Ente/Duty-...
14. http://www.border.gov.au/about/contact/m...

hide quoted sections

FOI, Department of Home Affairs

UNCLASSIFIED

In reply please quote:
FOI Request: FA 20/06/00253
File Number: OBJ2020/18661

Dear Mr Ross,

Acknowledgement of Freedom of Information Access request

I refer to your correspondence received on 4 June 2020 seeking access to documents held by the Department of Home Affairs (the Department) under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act).

COVID-19 (Coronavirus)
COVID-19 (Coronavirus) has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (link). As the Department focuses its efforts on managing the impact of COVID-19 on its critical services and employees, other non-critical services may not be delivered within expected timeframes. We apologise for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience during this period.

Scope of request

You have requested access to the following:

All 'Individualised Assessment Obligations File Notes', 'Individualised Assessment Protection File Notes' and other documents that have been written for the individualised assessments undertaken when persons travelling by boat from Sri Lanka in an attempt to reach Australia have been intercepted and interviewed at sea.

Your request was received by the Department on 4 June 2020 and has been allocated FOI request number FA 20/06/00253. 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.

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.

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
Corporate and Enabling Group
Department of Home Affairs | Email: [DIBP request email]

UNCLASSIFIED

-----Original Message-----
From: Elias Ross <[FOI #6376 email]>
Sent: Thursday, 4 June 2020 1:20 PM
To: FOI <[DIBP request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Individualised assessments conducted at sea

Dear Department of Home Affairs,

I am requesting all 'Individualised Assessment Obligations File Notes', 'Individualised Assessment Protection File Notes' and other documents that have been written for the individualised assessments undertaken when persons travelling by boat from Sri Lanka in an attempt to reach Australia have been intercepted and interviewed at sea.

Yours faithfully,

Elias

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

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #6376 email]

Is [DIBP request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests to Department of Home Affairs? If so, please contact us using this form:
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:
https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...

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.

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

Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and attachments immediately. This email, including attachments, may contain confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.

Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. The Department of Home Affairs and ABF respect your privacy and have obligations under the Privacy Act 1988.

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this email.

hide quoted sections

FOI, Department of Home Affairs

1 Attachment

UNCLASSIFIED

In reply please quote:

FOI Request:         FA 20/06/00253

File Number:          OBJ2020/18661 

Dear Mr Ross,

I refer to your email dated 4 June 2020 in which you request access to
documents held by the Department of Home Affairs (the Department) under
the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act).

 

I am writing to tell you that I intend to refuse your request on the basis
that a practical refusal reason exists. However, before I make a final
decision to do this, you have an opportunity to revise your request to
remove the practical refusal reason. This is called a ‘request
consultation process’. You have 14 days to respond to this notice.

 

 

Yours sincerely,

 

FOI Officer

Freedom of Information

FOI and Records Management Branch | Data Division

Corporate and Enabling Group

Department of Home Affairs | Email: [DIBP request email]

 

 

UNCLASSIFIED

 

Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by
the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received
this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and
attachments immediately.  This email, including attachments, may contain
confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.
 

Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information
by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. 
The Department of Home Affairs and ABF respect your privacy and have
obligations under the Privacy Act 1988.  

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this
email.

Dear FOI,

I would like to amend my FOI request as follows:

During the Operations Sovereign Borders reporting period 1 August 2019 to 31 August 2019, 13 Sri Lankan nationals were intercepted by the Australian Government at sea. Please provide the Individualised Assessment Obligations File Notes and Individualised Assessment Protection File Notes which were conducted for the purposes of individualised assessment of Australia's non-refoulement obligations. Please also provide interview transcripts and screening outcomes for those 13 people assessed.

Yours sincerely,

Elias Ross

FOI, Department of Home Affairs

UNCLASSIFIED

Good morning,

I refer to your request received on 4 June 2020 for access to documents under the FOI Act.

The current due date for your request is 4 July 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.

In order for the Department to complete the process of retrieving all the documents that fall within the scope of your request the Department will require additional time to process your request.

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 3 August 2020.

It would assist the Department in managing its FOI caseload if you could provide a response to this request by close of business, Monday 29 June 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
Corporate and Enabling Group
Department of Home Affairs | Email: [DIBP request email]

UNCLASSIFIED

-----Original Message-----
From: Elias Ross <[FOI #6376 email]>
Sent: Thursday, 4 June 2020 1:20 PM
To: FOI <[DIBP request email]>
Subject: HPRM: Freedom of Information request - Individualised assessments conducted at sea

Dear Department of Home Affairs,

I am requesting all 'Individualised Assessment Obligations File Notes', 'Individualised Assessment Protection File Notes' and other documents that have been written for the individualised assessments undertaken when persons travelling by boat from Sri Lanka in an attempt to reach Australia have been intercepted and interviewed at sea.

Yours faithfully,

Elias

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

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #6376 email]

Is [DIBP request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests to Department of Home Affairs? If so, please contact us using this form:
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:
https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...

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.

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

Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and attachments immediately. This email, including attachments, may contain confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.

Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. The Department of Home Affairs and ABF respect your privacy and have obligations under the Privacy Act 1988.

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this email.

hide quoted sections

Dear FOI,

Please respond by 3 August

Yours sincerely,

Elias Ross

Department of Home Affairs

1 Attachment

 
 
  [1]Office of the Australian Information Reference Code:  
Commissioner ICRF_1-26945749-2954
 

 
You submitted a form called: FOI Agency Extension of Time_
 
Your form reference code is: ICRF_1-26945749-2954

To check the progress of your submission and/or confirm it has been
received you should contact the agency that provides the form. These
details are displayed below.

Please see the attached PDF for a copy of your form submission.
 
 
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
[2]http://www.oaic.gov.au | [3]1300 363 992 | [4][email address]
GPO Box 5218, Sydney NSW 2001
 
 
Note: Please do not reply to this auto-generated email.
 

References

Visible links
2. http://www.oaic.gov.au/
3. file:///tmp/tel:1300 363 992
4. mailto:[email address]

FOI, Department of Home Affairs

3 Attachments

OFFICIAL

Dear Mr Ross,

 

FOI request FA 20/06/00253

 

I refer to your FOI request received on 4 June 2020, seeking access to the
following:

During the Operations Sovereign Borders reporting period 1 August 2019 to
31 August 2019, 13 Sri Lankan nationals were intercepted by the Australian
Government at sea. Please provide the Individualised Assessment
Obligations File Notes and Individualised Assessment Protection File Notes
which were conducted for the purposes of individualised assessment of
Australia's non-refoulement obligations. Please also provide interview
transcripts and screening outcomes for those 13 people assessed.

 

The Department has made a decision on this request. Please find attached
the decision record and documents released under the FOI Act.

 

This request has now been closed.

 

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

 

Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by
the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received
this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and
attachments immediately.  This email, including attachments, may contain
confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.
 

Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information
by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. 
The Department of Home Affairs and ABF respect your privacy and have
obligations under the Privacy Act 1988.  

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this
email.

FOI, Department of Home Affairs

1 Attachment

OFFICIAL

In reply please quote:

FOI Request:         FA 20/06/00711

File Number:          OBJ2020/19940 

Dear Mr Ross

I refer to your email dated 2 September 2020 in which you request access
to documents held by the Department of Home Affairs (the Department) under
the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act).

 I am writing to tell you that I intend to refuse your request on the
basis that a practical refusal reason exists. However, before I make a
final decision to do this, you have an opportunity to revise your request
to remove the practical refusal reason. This is called a ‘request
consultation process’. You have 14 days to respond to this notice. Please
respond by COB 24 September 2020.

Kind regards

Tina

FOI Officer

Freedom of Information (FOI) Section

FOI and Records Management Branch

Data Division

Strategy & Law Enforcement Group

E: [DIBP request email]

Department of Home Affairs | [1]www.homeaffairs.gov.au

 

 

OFFICIAL

 

Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by
the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received
this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and
attachments immediately.  This email, including attachments, may contain
confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.
 

Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information
by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. 
The Department of Home Affairs and ABF respect your privacy and have
obligations under the Privacy Act 1988.  

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this
email.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/