OFFICIAL

In reply please quote:
FOI Request: FA 20/12/00262
File Number: OBJ2020/38145

Dear Mr Ross

Acknowledgement of Freedom of Information Access request

I refer to your correspondence received on 7 December 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:

The public affairs plan that was used as part of Operation Relex in 2001/2002. As far as I am aware, this document is called Operation Relex Public Affairs Plan and Defence Instructions (General) No.8

Your request was received by the Department on 7 December 2020 and has been allocated FOI request number FA 20/12/00262 . 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

show quoted sections

OFFICIAL

Dear Mr Ross,

Clarification of Freedom of Information Access request – FA 20/12/00262

I refer to your correspondence received on 20 November 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:

The public affairs plan that was used as part of Operation Relex in
2001/2002. As far as I am aware, this document is called Operation Relex
Public Affairs Plan and Defence Instructions (General) No.8

The Department of Home Affairs understands that the Department of Defence
was the lead agency for this Operation and any relevant documents are
likely to be held by them. Section 15(4) of the FOI Act obliges the
Department to take reasonable steps to assist a person to direct their
request to the appropriate agency or minister. Consequently, your request
may be more appropriately processed by the Department of Defence. The
request may be submitted to [1][email address].

Given that the Department of Home Affairs is unlikely to hold these
documents, the Department seeks your agreement to withdraw your Freedom of
Information Request.

It would assist if you could indicate whether you agree to the withdrawal
of your request by Monday 14 December 2020, and to resubmit this directly
with the Department of Defence.

Yours sincerely,

FOI Officer

Freedom of Information

FOI and Records Management Branch | Data Division

Strategy & Law Enforcement Group

Department of Home Affairs | Email: [2][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.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]?Subject=FOI%20Request/Inquiry&body=Before%20submitting%20an%20FOI%20request%20to%20Defence%20please%20take%20note%20of%20the%20specific%20requirements%20listed%20on%20the%20preceding%20web%20page%20(see%20dot%20points).
2. mailto:[DIBP request email]

OFFICIAL

Good morning,

I refer to your request received on 7 December 2020 for access to documents under the FOI Act.

The current due date for your request is 6 January 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 5 February 2021.

It would assist the Department in managing its FOI caseload if you could provide a response to this request by close of business, Friday 18 December 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

show quoted sections

OFFICIAL

Dear Mr Ross,

I refer to our email below where we asked for further information so that
we could process this request.  To date, it appears that we have not
received a response and therefore are unable to action this request.

If we do not receive a response by close of business 18 December 2020 the
request will be considered closed and no further action will be taken on
it.

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

From: FOI
Sent: Thursday, 10 December 2020 10:54 AM
To: '[FOI #6958 email]'
<[FOI #6958 email]>
Subject: HPRM: Clarification of Freedom of Information Access request - FA
20/12/00262 [SEC=OFFICIAL]

OFFICIAL

Dear Mr Ross,

Clarification of Freedom of Information Access request – FA 20/12/00262

I refer to your correspondence received on 20 November 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:

The public affairs plan that was used as part of Operation Relex in
2001/2002. As far as I am aware, this document is called Operation Relex
Public Affairs Plan and Defence Instructions (General) No.8

The Department of Home Affairs understands that the Department of Defence
was the lead agency for this Operation and any relevant documents are
likely to be held by them. Section 15(4) of the FOI Act obliges the
Department to take reasonable steps to assist a person to direct their
request to the appropriate agency or minister. Consequently, your request
may be more appropriately processed by the Department of Defence. The
request may be submitted to [1][email address].

Given that the Department of Home Affairs is unlikely to hold these
documents, the Department seeks your agreement to withdraw your Freedom of
Information Request.

It would assist if you could indicate whether you agree to the withdrawal
of your request by Monday 14 December 2020, and to resubmit this directly
with the Department of Defence.

Yours sincerely,

FOI Officer

Freedom of Information

FOI and Records Management Branch | Data Division

Strategy & Law Enforcement Group

Department of Home Affairs | Email: [2][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.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]?Subject=FOI%20Request/Inquiry&body=Before%20submitting%20an%20FOI%20request%20to%20Defence%20please%20take%20note%20of%20the%20specific%20requirements%20listed%20on%20the%20preceding%20web%20page%20(see%20dot%20points).
2. mailto:[DIBP request email]