Dear Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet,

Is it possible to provide the following, with necessary redactions and omissions, about the Letters Patent relating to the Governor-General in 2008

https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2019Q000...

1. A copy of the correspondence sent from Australian Government to the Late Majesty the Queen (or private secretary etc etc), sending the draft Letters Patent Relating to the Office of Governor‑General of the Commonwealth of Australia, for the Majesty's approval or signature etc etc

2. A copy of the correspondence sent from the Late Majesty the Queen (or private secretary etc etc) to Australian Government, on the Letters Patent approved or signed etc etc by the Late Majesty the Queen

Thank yous!

Yours faithfully,
Tyler

FOI, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

Thank you for contacting the PM&C FOI inbox.  Due to the Department's
shutdown period, any emails sent after COB 24 December 2024 through to 1
January 2025 will not be actioned until the office re-opens on 2 January
2025.

 

______________________________________________________________________ 
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information 
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or 
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you 
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other 
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you 
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FOI, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

4 Attachments

OFFICIAL

 

Reference: 2024/417 and 2024/418

 

Dear Tyler

 

Thank you for your FOI requests to the Department of the Prime Minister
and Cabinet (the Department).

 

The Department has received two withdraw FOI requests from you as per the
attached. We understand these to be for two separate matters (2024/417 and
2024/418) submitted to the Department on 29 December 2024 (attached).

 

The FOI team seeks your clarification as to which of your FOI requests you
wish to withdraw or if you would like to withdraw both. If you could
please confirm by COB Friday 3 January 2025 it would greatly assist us in
processing your requests.

 

 

Kind regards

Adviser

 

FOI Section[]

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

p. (02) 6271 5849

Ngunnawal Country | One National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box
6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [1][email address] w. [2]pmc.gov.au

 

[3]cid:image003.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0 The
Department
acknowledges
and pays
respect to
the past,
present and
emerging
Elders and
Traditional
Custodians
of Country,
and the
continuation
of cultural,
spiritual
and
educational
practices of
Aboriginal
and Torres
Strait
Islander
peoples.

 

______________________________________________________________________ 
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information 
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or 
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you 
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other 
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you 
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by 
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the 
message from your computer system. 
______________________________________________________________________

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/

FOI, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

4 Attachments

OFFICIAL

 

Reference: 2024/417 and 2024/418

 

Dear Tyler

 

Thank you for your FOI requests to the Department of the Prime Minister
and Cabinet (the Department).

 

The Department has received two withdraw FOI requests from you as per the
attached. We understand these to be for two separate matters (2024/417 and
2024/418) submitted to the Department on 29 December 2024 (attached).

 

The FOI team seeks your clarification as to which of your FOI requests you
wish to withdraw or if you would like to withdraw both. If you could
please confirm by COB Friday 3 January 2025 it would greatly assist us in
processing your requests.

 

 

Kind regards

Adviser

 

FOI Section[]

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

p. (02) 6271 5849

Ngunnawal Country | One National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box
6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [1][email address] w. [2]pmc.gov.au

 

[3]cid:image003.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0 The
Department
acknowledges
and pays
respect to
the past,
present and
emerging
Elders and
Traditional
Custodians
of Country,
and the
continuation
of cultural,
spiritual
and
educational
practices of
Aboriginal
and Torres
Strait
Islander
peoples.

 

______________________________________________________________________ 
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information 
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or 
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you 
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other 
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you 
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by 
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the 
message from your computer system. 
______________________________________________________________________

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/

Our reference: "Letters Patent relating to the office of the Governor-General 2008"

Dear FOI,

Thank you. There appears a mix-up of communications on requests.

I suggest that you refer to the heading of the requests, which will help us all. I have made the heading our reference for this request. It may be helpful to quote this reference (i.e. heading) in our communications.

Please be clarified that this request is maintained and is not withdrawn. The full request is reproduced below.

Thank yous!

Yours faithfully,
Tyler

Maintained request:
Letters Patent relating to the office of the Governor-General 2008

Dear Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet,

Is it possible to provide the following, with necessary redactions and omissions, about the Letters Patent relating to the Governor-General in 2008

https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2019Q000...

1. A copy of the correspondence sent from Australian Government to the Late Majesty the Queen (or private secretary etc etc), sending the draft Letters Patent Relating to the Office of Governor‑General of the Commonwealth of Australia, for the Majesty's approval or signature etc etc

2. A copy of the correspondence sent from the Late Majesty the Queen (or private secretary etc etc) to Australian Government, on the Letters Patent approved or signed etc etc by the Late Majesty the Queen

Thank yous!

Yours faithfully,
Tyler

FOI, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

OFFICIAL

 

Reference: FOI/2024/417

 

Dear Tyler,

 

I write in relation to your request of 29 December 2024 made under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) to advise that the Department
has determined that it is appropriate to consult a foreign entity under
section 15(7) of the FOI Act to determine whether an international
relations (section 33) exemption applies.

 

The FOI Act provides an extension of the processing period by 30 days
(under section 15(8) of FOI Act) in order to allow the Department time to
undertake the section 15(7) consultation. As a result the extended due
date of your FOI request is 27 February 2025.

 

We will endeavour to notify you of the decision prior to this extended
date if possible.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Adviser | FOI Section[]

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

p. (02) 6271 5849

Ngunnawal Country, One National Circuit  Barton  ACT  2600  |  PO Box
6500  CANBERRA  ACT  2600
e. [1][email address]  w. [2]pmc.gov.au

 

______________________________________________________________________ 
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information 
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or 
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you 
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other 
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you 
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by 
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the 
message from your computer system. 
______________________________________________________________________

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/

Dear FOI,

Thank yous. I will wait for your information by 27 February 2025 as you suggested.

Yours faithfully,

Tyler

Dear FOI,

Further to messages that we had today earlier on 24 January 2025, I recall that in recent years, there had been court cases in Australia here, Hocking v. Director-General of the National Archives of Australia, about letters between the Queen and former governor-general, and i understand the Commonwealth had not been said as raising any argument that these letters involved any "foreign entity" or "international relations" under the FOI Act.

So, if the FOI decision on this request concerns any "foreign entity" or "international relations" under the FOI Act which as you said is currently being considered with a "foreign entity", it would be helpful if the FOI decision could specify which "foreign entity" or "international relations" may be of concern.

Thank yous!

Yours faithfully,

Tyler

FOI, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

OFFICIAL

 

Dear Tyler,

 

Thank you for your email dated 24 January 2025.

 

Unfortunately we cannot provide information relating to our consultations
as third-party consultations are confidential.

 

In relation to the High Court decision of Hocking v. Director-General of
the National Archives of Australia, our understanding is the decision
concerns the application of the Archives Act. Please refer to section 33
of the FOI Act and paragraph  [5.41] of the FOI Guidelines. 

 

Please let me know if there are any questions or concerns.

 

 

Kind regards,

Adviser

 

Adviser | FOI Section[]

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

p. (02) 6271 5849

Ngunnawal Country, One National Circuit  Barton  ACT  2600  |  PO Box
6500  CANBERRA  ACT  2600
e. [1][email address]  w. [2]pmc.gov.au

 

show quoted sections

Dear FOI,

Thank yous

Yours faithfully

Tyler