UNCLASSIFIED

PM&C Ref: FOI/2017/136

 

Dear Mr Smith

 

Thank you for your email dated 8 August 2017, received by the Department
of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (the Department), in which you made a
request to the Department under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the
FOI Act) in the following terms:

 

I request documents related to the ten most recent instances where an
employee has sought information, advice, guidance, or opinion on their
social media use in a private capacity.

 

I limit the scope of documents to:

- the original request from the employee

- the agency/department's response

- any follow-up questions and response

- only those sent to a relevant HR / conduct / social media (or similar)
team (rather than managers across all areas of the organisation)

- where the original request was created in the last 2 years

 

Timeframe for receiving your decision

 

We received your request on 8 August 2017 and the 30 day statutory period
for processing your request commenced from the day after that date. You
should therefore expect a decision from us by 7 September 2017. The period
of 30 days may be extended in certain circumstances. We will advise you if
there is any extension of time.

 

Charges

 

Agencies may decide that an applicant is liable to pay a charge in respect
of a request for access to documents. If the Department decides that you
are liable to pay a charge, we will send you a preliminary assessment of
the charge as soon as possible.

 

Publication of documents

 

Please note that information released under the FOI Act may later be
published online on our disclosure log at
[1]http://www.dpmc.gov.au/pmc/accountabilit...,
subject to certain exceptions. If you think you might wish to raise any
objections to the publication of any of the information which may be
released to you please contact us by email at [2][DPMC request email].  If you
do wish to object to the publication of information, you would need to
provide supporting reasons.

 

Exclusion of officers’ names and contact details

 

For documents that fall within scope of the request, it is the
Department’s policy to withhold:

·         any person’s signature;

·         the names and contact details of Australian Public Service
officers not in the Senior Executive Service (SES);

·         the mobile or direct numbers of SES officers;

·         the names and contact details of Ministerial staff at a level
below Chief of Staff.

 

The names and other details of SES officers will not be withheld unless
there is some reason for that information to be exempt from release. If
you require signatures, the names and contact details of non-SES officers
or Ministerial staff below the level of Chief of Staff, or the mobile or
direct numbers of SES officers please let us know at [3][DPMC request email] so
the decision-maker may consider; otherwise we will take it that you agree
to that information being excluded from the scope of your request (that
is, the information will be treated as irrelevant and redacted from any
documents for release).

 

We will write again when the Department has more information. Further
information on FOI processing can be found at the website of the Office of
the Australian Information Commissioner at
[4]http://www.oaic.gov.au/foi-portal/about_....

 

Yours sincerely

 

FOI Adviser

Access and Administrative Review | Honours, Symbols and Legal Policy
Branch

Government Division | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

p. +61 2 6271 5849

e. | [5][DPMC request email] | [6]www.dpmc.gov.au

PO Box 6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600

 

[7]cid:image005.jpg@01D30607.6CF4DA00

 

 

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References

Visible links
1. http://www.dpmc.gov.au/pmc/accountabilit...
2. mailto:[DPMC request email]
3. mailto:[DPMC request email]
4. http://www.oaic.gov.au/foi-portal/about_...
5. mailto:[DPMC request email]
6. http://www.dpmc.gov.au/

UNCLASSIFIED

PM&C FOI Ref: FOI/2017/136

 

Dear Mr Smith

 

I’m writing in relation to your FOI request with the Department of the
Prime Minister and Cabinet – ref: FOI/2017/136.

 

The due date for a decision on your request is 7 September 2017.
Regrettably, the Department is not in a position to finalise the decision
on the FOI request before the due date. Accordingly, we are seeking your
consent to a 30 day extension of time to the processing period, in
accordance with section 15AA of the FOI Act. We will endeavour to notify
you of the decision prior to this extended date.

 

We kindly request you confirm your consent to the extension by way of
return email. If you are not inclined to agree to an extension of time, we
would be grateful if you could let us know as soon as possible.

 

We apologise for the delay. If you have any queries, please do not
hesitate to contact us.

 

Kind regards

 

FOI Adviser

Access and Administrative Review | Honours, Symbols and Legal Policy
Branch

Government Division | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

p. +61 2 6271 5849

e. | [1][DPMC request email] | [2]www.dpmc.gov.au

PO Box 6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600

 

[3]cid:image005.jpg@01D30607.6CF4DA00

 

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References

Visible links
1. mailto:[DPMC request email]
2. http://www.dpmc.gov.au/

Our reference: RQ17/01672

Agency reference: FOI/2017/136

Mr James Smith

By email: [FOI #3889 email]

Dear Mr Smith

Extension of time under s 15AB

On 6 September 2017, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (the
Department) applied for further time to make a decision on your FOI
request of 8 August 2017.

This application was on the basis that the processing period is
insufficient to deal adequately with your request, because it is complex.

Decision

I have decided to grant the Department an extension of time to process
your request to 7 October 2017. This decision has been made under s
15AB(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth).

By granting further time it is anticipated that the Department will
provide a well-reasoned and better managed decision.

Contact

If you have any questions regarding this email please contact me on 02
9284 9745 or via email [email address]. Please quote OAIC
reference number RQ17/01672 in all correspondence.

Yours sincerely

Carl English | Assistant Review and Investigation Officer | Freedom of
Information Dispute Resolution

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

GPO Box 5218 SYDNEY NSW 2001| [1]www.oaic.gov.au

Phone:  +61 2 9284 9745 | E-mail: [email address]

 

Protecting information rights – advancing information policy

[2]cid:image001.png@01D26682.9CE52410

 

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References

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1. http://www.oaic.gov.au/

UNCLASSIFIED

Dear Mr Smith

 

Please find attached the access decision in relation to your FOI request
with the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet – ref: FOI/2017/136.

 

Kind regards

 

FOI Adviser

Access and Administrative Review | Honours, Symbols and Legal Policy
Branch

Government Division | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

p. +61 2 6271 5849

e. | [1][DPMC request email] | [2]www.dpmc.gov.au

PO Box 6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600

 

[3]cid:image005.jpg@01D30607.6CF4DA00

 

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References

Visible links
1. mailto:[DPMC request email]
2. http://www.dpmc.gov.au/