Manual for the Coordinated Handling of People Smuggling: Interceptions, Investigations and Prosecutions in Indonesia

Asher Hirsch made this Freedom of Information request to Australian Border Force

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 refused by Australian Border Force.

Dear Australian Border Force (formally ACBPS),

In 2012 the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service funded the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to produce a document titled "Manual for the Coordinated Handling of People Smuggling: Interceptions, Investigations and Prosecutions in Indonesia".

I request under the Freedom of Information Act documents and files relating to the development of this document, including but not limited to:

- The contract for the production of this document
- The cost of the production of this document
- Correspondence between the ACBPS and IOM relating to this document
- Correspondence between the ACBPS and other Australian Government departments relating to this document

Yours faithfully,

Asher Hirsch

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Yours Sincerely

FOI Helpdesk

Freedom of Information Section

Department of Immigration and Border Protection

Information updated 21 June 2017

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1 Attachment

UNCLASSIFIED

Our references: FA 17/06/00884; ADF2017/68753

 

Dear Asher Hirsch

 

Please find attached the acknowledgement of receipt for your recent FOI
Request.  I apologies for the delay in sending the acknowledgement to you.

 

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you wish to discuss.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

H Simons

FOI Officer | Freedom of Information Section

Department of Immigration and Border Protection
E: [1][ABF request email]

 

 

 

 

UNCLASSIFIED

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References

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1. mailto:[ABF request email]

UNCLASSIFIED

Our references: FA 17/06/00884 ; ADF2017/68753

 

Dear Mr HIRSCH

 

I refer to your request for access to documents relating to:

 

In 2012 the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service funded the
International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to produce a document
titled "Manual for the Coordinated Handling of People Smuggling:
Interceptions, Investigations and Prosecutions in Indonesia".

 

I request under the Freedom of Information Act documents and files
relating to the development of this document, including but not limited
to:

 

- The contract for the production of this document

- The cost of the production of this document

- Correspondence between the ACBPS and IOM relating to this document

- Correspondence between the ACBPS and other Australian Government
departments relating to this document

 

 

The current due date for your request is Saturday 29 July 2017.  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 s.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 Monday 28 August 2017.

 

It would assist the Department in managing its FOI caseload if you could
provide a response to this request by close of business, Wednesday 19 July
2017.

 

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you wish to discuss.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

H Simons

FOI Officer | Freedom of Information Section

Department of Immigration and Border Protection
E: [1][ABF request email]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UNCLASSIFIED

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email.

References

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1. mailto:[ABF request email]

Dear H Simmons,

I accept the request to extend the deadline for this application to the 28th of August 2017.

Yours sincerely,

Asher Hirsch

Dear FOI,

Please can you provide an update on this request? I note that it is now overdue.

Yours sincerely,

Asher Hirsch

1 Attachment

UNCLASSIFIED

Our references: FA 17/06/00884; ADF2017/68753

 

Dear Mr Hirsch

 

I refer to your FOI request received on 29 June 2017, seeking access to
the following:

 

In 2012 the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service funded the
International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to produce a document
titled "Manual for the Coordinated Handling of People Smuggling:
Interceptions, Investigations and Prosecutions in Indonesia".

 

I request under the Freedom of Information Act documents and files
relating to the development of this document, including but not limited
to:

 

- The contract for the production of this document

- The cost of the production of this document

- Correspondence between the ACBPS and IOM relating to this document

- Correspondence between the ACBPS and other Australian Government
departments relating to this document

 

The Department has made a decision on this request. Please see attached
the signed decision letter.

 

This request has now been closed.

 

 

with regards,

H Simons

FOI Officer | Freedom of Information Section

Department of Immigration and Border Protection
E: [1][ABF 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. 
DIBP respects your privacy and has obligations under the Privacy Act 1988.
 

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

References

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1. mailto:[ABF request email]

Dear Australian Border Force,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Australian Border Force's handling of my FOI request 'Manual for the Coordinated Handling of People Smuggling: Interceptions, Investigations and Prosecutions in Indonesia'.

The request was refused because of s 33(a)(iii). Please see below my reasons for seeking internal review:

International relations:

I do not agree that the release of these documents would impact international relations, especially as Indonesia participated in the production of these documents and would already know the details of the documents. Indeed, the Manual in question is a document produced for the Indonesian police and funded by the Australian Government. It has forwards from Indonesian Ministers who praise the document.

Further, I note the reason for the refusal is also that the documents have had a "very limited circulation and are only available to a select number of people on a strict needs-to-know basis". I note that this is not a ground for refusal under the Act.

I therefore request an internal review of the decision.

Yours faithfully,

Asher Hirsch

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/m...

Yours faithfully,

Asher Hirsch

FOI Reviews mailbox,

UNCLASSIFIED

Our references: FA 17/06/00884; ADF2017/68753

 

Dear Mr Hirsch

 

Thank you for your request for an internal review of the access decision
for FA 17/06/00884 received on Monday 16 October 2017.

 

Please note the new references for your internal review at the top of this
email for future reference.

 

The standard processing of an internal review is 30 days.

 

Regards

 

Kind Regards

FOI Officer

Freedom of Information, Privacy and Records Management Branch | Corporate
Support Division

Corporate Group
Department of Immigration and Border Protection
E: [1][email address]

UNCLASSIFIED

 

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this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and
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DIBP respects your privacy and has obligations under the Privacy Act 1988.
 

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Asher Hirsch

Dear FOI Reviews mailbox,

I am following up with this internal review, which is well over 8 months overdue. If I do not hear back I will take this matter to the Information Commissioner.

Yours sincerely,

Asher Hirsch

FOI Reviews mailbox, Australian Border Force

For-Official-Use-Only
Dear Mr Hirsch

Thank you for your email. We expect to be able to finalise this internal review within the next 2 weeks.

Regards,

Claire
FOI Officer, Reviews Team
Freedom of Information (FOI) Section | FOI, Privacy and Records Management Branch
Productivity and Compliance Division |Corporate and Enabling Group
Department of Home Affairs

For-Official-Use-Only

show quoted sections

FOI Reviews mailbox, Australian Border Force

1 Attachment

For-Official-Use-Only

In reply please quote:

FOI Request:      FA 17/06/00884-R1

File Number:      ADF2017/68753

 

Dear Mr Hirsch

 

The Department of Home Affairs has made a decision on your request for an
internal review under section 54 of the Freedom of Information Act 1982.
You requested the Department review its decision of 19 September 2017 to
refuse access to documents you had requested on 29 June 2017.

 

Please find attached a letter providing the Department’s decision on the
internal review.

 

Regards,

 

Claire

FOI Officer, Reviews Team

Freedom of Information (FOI) Section |FOI and Records Management Branch

Productivity and Compliance Division |Corporate and Enabling Group

Department of Home Affairs

 

 

For-Official-Use-Only

 

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.