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IMPORTANT INFORMATION

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OFFICIAL

In reply please quote:
FOI Request: FA 21/03/00959
File Number: OBJ2021/9401

Dear Information Requested

Acknowledgement of Freedom of Information Access request

I refer to your correspondence received on 16 March 2021 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:
I would like to know the number of citizenship applicants who are approved and are now waiting to complete the citizenship ceremony, grouped by each of the states and territories as listed below.

States and Territories:
NSW
WA
QLD
SA
Vic
Northern Territory
Australian Capital territory
TAS

Your request was received by the Department on 16 March 2021 and has been allocated FOI request number FA 21/03/00959 . 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 [Department of Home Affairs request email].

Kind Regards,

FOI Officer
Position number: 60028261MP
Authorised FOI Officer
Freedom of Information
E: [Department of Home Affairs request email]

OFFICIAL

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OFFICIAL

FOI Request: FA 21/03/00959
File Number: OBJ2021/9401

Good evening,

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.

Kind Regards,

Michael
Position number: 60028261
Authorised FOI Officer
Freedom of Information
E: [Department of Home Affairs request email]

OFFICIAL

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OFFICIAL

23 April 2021

Applicant

BY EMAIL:  [FOI #7155 email]

In reply please quote:

FOI Request:       FA 21/03/00959

File Number:        OBJ2021/9401

Dear Applicant

Freedom of Information (FOI) request - Access Decision

On 16 March 2021 the Department of Home Affairs (the Department) received
a request for access to document under the Freedom of Information Act 1982
(the FOI Act).

The purpose of this letter is to provide you with a decision on your
request for access under the FOI Act.

1            Scope of request

You have requested access to the following document:

I would like to know the number of citizenship applicants who are approved
and are now waiting to complete the citizenship ceremony, grouped by each
of the states and territories as listed below.

States and Territories:

NSW

WA

QLD

SA

Vic

Northern Territory

Australian Capital territory

2            Authority to make decision

I am an officer authorised under section 23 of the FOI Act to make
decisions in respect of requests to access document or to amend or
annotate records.

3            Relevant material

In reaching my decision I referred to the following:

·       the terms of your request

·       the document relevant to the request

·       the FOI Act

·       Guidelines published by the Office of the Information Commissioner
under section 93A of the FOI Act (the FOI Guidelines)

·       advice from Departmental officers with responsibility for matters
relating to the document to which you sought access

4            Document in scope of request

In accordance with section 17 of the FOI Act, the Department has used its
computer system to produce one document that contains information that
falls within the scope of your request. The data produced in the document
existed in the possession of the Department on 16 March 2021 when your FOI
request was received.

5            Decision

The decision in relation to the document in the possession of the
Department which fall within the scope of your request is as follows:

·       Release one document in full

6            Legislation

A copy of the FOI Act is available at
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Series/C2.... If you are unable to
access the legislation through this website, please contact our office for
a copy.

7            Your Review Rights

Internal Review

If you disagree with this decision, you have the right to apply for an
internal review by the Department of this decision.  Any request for
internal review must be provided to the Department within 30 days of you
being notified of the decision.  Where possible please attach reasons why
you believe a review of the decision is necessary.  The internal review
will be carried out by an officer other than the original decision maker
and the Department must make a review decision within 30 days. 

Applications for review should be sent to:

By email to: [1][email address]

OR

By mail to:

Freedom of Information Section

Department of Home Affairs

PO Box 25

BELCONNEN   ACT  2617

Review by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

You may apply directly to the Office of the Australian Information
Commissioner (OAIC) for a review of this decision.  You must apply in
writing within 60 days of this notice.  For further information about
review rights and how to submit a request for a review to the OAIC, please
see Fact Sheet 12 "Freedom of information – Your review rights", available
online at
https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor...

8            Making a Complaint

You may complain to the Australian Information Commissioner about action
taken by the Department in relation to your request.

Your enquiries to the Australian Information Commissioner can be directed
to:

Phone 1300 363 992 (local call charge)
Email  [2][email address]

There is no particular form required to make a complaint to the Australian
Information Commissioner. The request should be in writing and should set
out the grounds on which it is considered that the action taken in
relation to the request should be investigated and identify the Department
of Home Affairs as the relevant agency.

9            Contacting the FOI Section

Should you wish to discuss this decision, please do not hesitate to
contact the FOI Section at [Department of Home Affairs request email].

Signed electronically

Glen

Position number 60081621

Authorised Decision Maker | Freedom of Information Section

FOI and Records Management Branch

Data Division | Strategy and Law Enforcement Group

Department of Home Affairs

OFFICIAL

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References

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1. mailto:foi.reviews@
2. mailto:[email address]