Procedures for processing itinerant or no-fixed-address enrolments
Dear Australian Electoral Commission,
I would like to request copies of any documented procedures for enrolling electors with no fixed address, including procedures for notifying state electoral bodies of such enrolment.
Additionally I would like to request copies of any procedures for polling-place staff in processing itinerant electors on polling day, especially as it relates to voting out-of-state.
Yours faithfully,
Cail Young
Thank you for contacting us.
This is an automatic response from the Australian Electoral Commission to confirm we have received your email.
For more information on enrolling to vote, federal elections or the AEC, visit www.aec.gov.au.
Please do not respond to this email.
UNCLASSIFIED
Dear Cail Young
Right to Know Organisation
I refer to your emails dated 15 November 2016 2:27 PM, 15 November 2016
2:20 PM and 15 November 2016 1:00 PM in which you request (‘your FOI
Request] to the Australian Electoral Commission (‘AEC’) under the
[1]Freedom of Information Act 1982 for access to documents relating to
procedures for enrolment of itinerant elector and your enrolment details.
I have taken your request to be for:
1. copies of any documented procedures for enrolling electors with no
fixed address, including procedures for notifying state electoral bodies
of such enrolment;
2. copies of any procedures for polling-place staff in processing
itinerant electors on polling day, especially as it relates to voting
out-of-state;
3. documents (forms, emails, or otherwise) relating to the processing
of [your] enrolment update from December 2015, including specifically
copies of any documents produced in the processing of the enrolment
change, for example notifications sent to the Victorian Electoral
commission.
We received your request on 15 November 2016 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 16 December 2016. The
period of 30 days may be extended if we need to consult third parties or
for other reasons. We will advise you if this happens.
You will be notified of any charges in relation to your request as soon as
possible, before we process any requested documents or impose a final
charge. Given that part of your request is for your personal information,
no processing charge will apply to that part of your request.
I again attach the Request for Confirmation of Enrolment form provided in
Ms Bongi’s email to you dated 15 November 2016 2:17 PM which I ask you to
sign and return to me. I will accept a scanned version sent by email. I
ask for this so that I can verify that you are indeed the relevant
elector. If I do not receive the duly signed form by 23 November 2016 or I
am unable to verify that you are the relevant elector, then I will process
your FOI Request on the basis that the exception in section 47A of the FOI
Act does not apply to the request for the elector’s details. I will
explain this in any decision I make on that basis.
Please note that information released under the FOI Act may later be
published online on the AEC’s disclosure log [2]at
http://www.aec.gov.au/information-access..., subject to certain
exceptions. (For example, personal information will not be published where
this would be unreasonable.). You may wish to consider whether forwarding
electronic versions of your enrolment details to your email address is
appropriate given the privacy considerations. I invite you to give an
alternative address for sending that part of the information that you
request.
We will contact you using the email address that you provided. Please
advise if you would prefer us to use an alternative means of contact. If
you have any questions, please contact me at:
email: [3][email address]
fax: 02 6293 7657
post: Locked bag 4007, Canberra ACT 2601
telephone: 02 6271 4528
Regards
Owen Jones
Owen Jones | Senior Lawyer
Legal Services Section | Legal and Procurement Branch
Australian Electoral Commission
T: (02) 6271 4528 | F: (02) 6293 7657
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
[4]Australian Electoral Commission logo [5]Australian Electoral
Commission
This email may contain legal advice that is subject to legal professional
privilege. Care should be taken to avoid unintended waiver of that
privilege. The Australian Electoral Commission’s Chief Legal Officer
should be consulted prior to any decision to disclose the existence or
content of any advice contained in this email to a third party.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----Original Message-----
From: Cail Young [mailto:[FOI #2712 email]]
Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2016 2:27 PM
To: INFO <[AEC request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Procedures for processing
itinerant or no-fixed-address enrolments
Dear Australian Electoral Commission,
I would like to request copies of any documented procedures for enrolling
electors with no fixed address, including procedures for notifying state
electoral bodies of such enrolment.
Additionally I would like to request copies of any procedures for
polling-place staff in processing itinerant electors on polling day,
especially as it relates to voting out-of-state.
Yours faithfully,
Cail Young
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[6][FOI #2712 email]
Is [7][AEC request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information
requests to Australian Electoral Commission? If so, please contact us
using this form:
[8]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...
This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This
message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet.
More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:
[9]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
-----Original Message-----
From: Cail Young [mailto:[email address]]
Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2016 2:20 PM
To: INFO <[AEC request email]>
Subject: Re: FOI request for documents pertaining to my electoral
enrolment change [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
Hi Angela,
I will send this form in, however I am specifically asking for copies of
any documents produced in the processing of the enrolment change, for
example notifications sent to VEC.
Cheers,
Cail
> On 15 Nov 2016, at 2:17 PM, INFO <[10][AEC request email]> wrote:
>
> UNCLASSIFIED
>
> Dear Cail,
>
> Thank for your enquiry. Please complete the attached form with the
enrolment history you require, and return it via one of the methods
outlined on our website:
>
> [11]http://www.aec.gov.au/enrol/send-form.htm .
>
> Yours sincerely,
>
> Angela | Public Enquiries Officer
> Communication Services Section | Education & Communications Branch
> Australian Electoral Commission
>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
> From: Cail Young [[12]mailto:[email address]]
> Sent: Tuesday, 15 November 2016 1:00 PM
> To: INFO <[13][AEC request email]>
> Subject: FOI request for documents pertaining to my electoral
> enrolment change
>
> Dear FOI Officer,
>
> I would like to request any documents (forms, emails, or otherwise)
relating to the processing of my enrolment update from December 2015. I
submitted a request to be enrolled as an elector with no fixed address.
The relevant information to assist with the search is:
>
> Name: Cail Stuart Young
> Old enrolment address: 83 Erin St, Richmond VIC 3121
>
> Please let me know if you require more information to respond to the
request.
>
> Cheers,
> Cail
> UNCLASSIFIED
>
>
> DISCLAIMER:
> If you have received this transmission in error please notify us
immediately by return email and delete all copies. If this email or any
attachments have been sent to you in error, that error does not constitute
waiver of any confidentiality, privilege or copyright in respect of
information in the email or attachments.
>
> <Request for confirmation of enrolment.pdf>
UNCLASSIFIED
DISCLAIMER:
If you have received this transmission in error please notify us
immediately by return email and delete all copies. If this email or any
attachments have been sent to you in error, that error does not constitute
waiver of any confidentiality, privilege or copyright in respect of
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References
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12. mailto:[email address]
13. mailto:[AEC request email]
Dear Owen Jones,
Thank you for your reply.
I did not ask for my personal documents in this particular request. Item 3 should be removed from this request and treated as a seperate request, and further communication should be sent to the personal email address I used for that.
Yours sincerely,
Cail Young
Sensitive:Legal
Dear Mr Young
Thank you for your email of 16 November 2016 10:27 AM about your FOI
Request.
In light of your clarification, I now understand that your FOI Request
seeks:
1. copies of any documented procedures for enrolling electors
with no fixed address, including procedures for notifying state electoral
bodies of such enrolment;
2. copies of any procedures for polling-place staff in
processing itinerant electors on polling day, especially as it relates to
voting out-of-state;
I will process your FOI Request accordingly.
Regards
Owen Jones
Owen Jones | Senior Lawyer
Legal Services Section | Legal and Procurement Branch
Australian Electoral Commission
T: (02) 6271 4528 | F: (02) 6293 7657
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1]Australian Electoral Commission logo [2]Australian Electoral
Commission
This email may contain legal advice that is subject to legal professional
privilege. Care should be taken to avoid unintended waiver of that
privilege. The Australian Electoral Commission’s Chief Legal Officer
should be consulted prior to any decision to disclose the existence or
content of any advice contained in this email to a third party.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----Original Message-----
From: Cail Young [mailto:[FOI #2712 email]]
Sent: Wednesday, November 16, 2016 10:27 AM
To: Owen Jones <[email address]>
Subject: Re: You FOI Request LS5827 for itinerant enrolment procedures and
my enrolment details [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
Dear Owen Jones,
Thank you for your reply.
I did not ask for my personal documents in this particular request. Item 3
should be removed from this request and treated as a seperate request, and
further communication should be sent to the personal email address I used
for that.
Yours sincerely,
Cail Young
-----Original Message-----
UNCLASSIFIED
Dear Cail Young
Right to Know Organisation
I refer to your emails dated 15 November 2016 2:27 PM, 15 November 2016
2:20 PM and 15 November 2016 1:00 PM in which you request (‘your FOI
Request] to the Australian Electoral Commission (‘AEC’) under the
[1]Freedom of Information Act 1982 for access to documents relating to
procedures for enrolment of itinerant elector and your enrolment details.
I have taken your request to be for:
1. copies of any documented procedures for enrolling electors with
no fixed address, including procedures for notifying state electoral
bodies of such enrolment;
2. copies of any procedures for polling-place staff in processing
itinerant electors on polling day, especially as it relates to voting
out-of-state;
3. documents (forms, emails, or otherwise) relating to the
processing of [your] enrolment update from December 2015, including
specifically copies of any documents produced in the processing of the
enrolment change, for example notifications sent to the Victorian
Electoral commission.
We received your request on 15 November 2016 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 16 December 2016. The
period of 30 days may be extended if we need to consult third parties or
for other reasons. We will advise you if this happens.
You will be notified of any charges in relation to your request as soon
as possible, before we process any requested documents or impose a final
charge. Given that part of your request is for your personal information,
no processing charge will apply to that part of your request.
I again attach the Request for Confirmation of Enrolment form provided in
Ms Bongi’s email to you dated 15 November 2016 2:17 PM which I ask you to
sign and return to me. I will accept a scanned version sent by email. I
ask for this so that I can verify that you are indeed the relevant
elector. If I do not receive the duly signed form by 23 November 2016 or
I am unable to verify that you are the relevant elector, then I will
process your FOI Request on the basis that the exception in section 47A
of the FOI Act does not apply to the request for the elector’s details. I
will explain this in any decision I make on that basis.
Please note that information released under the FOI Act may later be
published online on the AEC’s disclosure log [2]at
[3]http://www.aec.gov.au/information-access..., subject to certain
exceptions. (For example, personal information will not be published
where this would be unreasonable.). You may wish to consider whether
forwarding electronic versions of your enrolment details to your email
address is appropriate given the privacy considerations. I invite you to
give an alternative address for sending that part of the information that
you request.
We will contact you using the email address that you provided. Please
advise if you would prefer us to use an alternative means of contact. If
you have any questions, please contact me at:
email: [3][email address]
fax: 02 6293 7657
post: Locked bag 4007, Canberra ACT 2601
telephone: 02 6271 4528
Regards
Owen Jones
Owen Jones | Senior Lawyer
Legal Services Section | Legal and Procurement Branch
Australian Electoral Commission
T: (02) 6271 4528 | F: (02) 6293 7657
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
[4]Australian Electoral Commission logo [5]Australian Electoral
Commission
This email may contain legal advice that is subject to legal professional
privilege. Care should be taken to avoid unintended waiver of that
privilege. The Australian Electoral Commission’s Chief Legal Officer
should be consulted prior to any decision to disclose the existence or
content of any advice contained in this email to a third party.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[4][FOI #2712 email]
This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This
message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet.
More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:
[5]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Sensitive:Legal
DISCLAIMER:
If you have received this transmission in error please notify us
immediately by return email and delete all copies. If this email or any
attachments have been sent to you in error, that error does not constitute
waiver of any confidentiality, privilege or copyright in respect of
information in the email or attachments.
References
Visible links
1. http://emailfooter.aec.gov.au/email/
2. http://emailfooter.aec.gov.au/email-promo/
3. http://www.aec.gov.au/information-access...
4. mailto:[FOI #2712 email]
5. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...
UNCLASSIFIED
Dear Cail Young
I refer to your email dated 16 November 2016, to the Australian Electoral
Commission (‘AEC’) in which you request (your ‘FOI Request’) access under
the [1]Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the ‘FOI Act’) to documented
procedures for enrolling itinerant electors.
I enclose nine relevant documents and a scanned letter dated 15 December
2016, from Owen Jones, Senior Lawyer, AEC, notifying you of his decision
on your FOI Request.
Regards
Antonia Exposito | Administrative Assistant
Legal Services Section | Legal & Procurement Branch
Australian Electoral Commission
T: (02) 6271 4405 | F: (02) 6293 7657
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
[2]Australian Electoral Commission logo [3]Australian Electoral Commission
UNCLASSIFIED
DISCLAIMER:
If you have received this transmission in error please notify us
immediately by return email and delete all copies. If this email or any
attachments have been sent to you in error, that error does not constitute
waiver of any confidentiality, privilege or copyright in respect of
information in the email or attachments.
References
Visible links
1. https://www.legislation.gov.au/Series/C2...
2. http://emailfooter.aec.gov.au/email/
3. http://emailfooter.aec.gov.au/email-promo/
UNCLASSIFIED
Dear Mr Young, I apologise, the decision letter scanned single sided. Here
it is again in its entirety.
Regards
Antonia Exposito | Administrative Assistant
Legal Services Section | Legal & Procurement Branch
Australian Electoral Commission
T: (02) 6271 4405 | F: (02) 6293 7657
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1]Australian Electoral Commission logo [2]Australian Electoral Commission
UNCLASSIFIED
From: Antonia Exposito
Sent: Thursday, 15 December 2016 10:25 AM
To: '[FOI #2712 email]'
<[FOI #2712 email]>
Cc: Legal Services - NO <[email address]>
Subject: FOI Request LS5827 - AEC Decision - Cail Young [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
UNCLASSIFIED
Dear Cail Young
I refer to your email dated 16 November 2016, to the Australian Electoral
Commission (‘AEC’) in which you request (your ‘FOI Request’) access under
the [3]Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the ‘FOI Act’) to documented
procedures for enrolling itinerant electors.
I enclose nine relevant documents and a scanned letter dated 15 December
2016, from Owen Jones, Senior Lawyer, AEC, notifying you of his decision
on your FOI Request.
Regards
Antonia Exposito | Administrative Assistant
Legal Services Section | Legal & Procurement Branch
Australian Electoral Commission
T: (02) 6271 4405 | F: (02) 6293 7657
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
[4]Australian Electoral Commission logo [5]Australian Electoral Commission
UNCLASSIFIED
DISCLAIMER:
If you have received this transmission in error please notify us
immediately by return email and delete all copies. If this email or any
attachments have been sent to you in error, that error does not constitute
waiver of any confidentiality, privilege or copyright in respect of
information in the email or attachments.
References
Visible links
1. http://emailfooter.aec.gov.au/email/
2. http://emailfooter.aec.gov.au/email-promo/
3. https://www.legislation.gov.au/Series/C2...
4. http://emailfooter.aec.gov.au/email/
5. http://emailfooter.aec.gov.au/email-promo/
Dear Australian Electoral Commission,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Australian Electoral Commission's handling of my FOI request 'Procedures for processing itinerant or no-fixed-address enrolments'.
In the decision letter, Mr Jones indicated that he 'did not identify any documents that fell within the scope of the second limb of [my] FOI request'. For reference, this was:
• copies of any procedures for polling-place staff in processing
itinerant electors on polling day, especially as it relates to voting
out-of-state
He then states that he (only?) directed enquiries to the Roll Management Branch.
I would like to request that a thorough search of the training materials that exist for polling-place staff be undertaken if it has not already, as there is surely some document that records what the procedures are for staff at polling places!
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/p...
Yours faithfully,
Cail Young
Thank you for contacting us.
This is an automatic response from the Australian Electoral Commission to confirm we have received your email.
For more information on enrolling to vote, federal elections or the AEC, visit www.aec.gov.au.
Please do not respond to this email.
UNCLASSIFIED
Dear Mr Cail Young
I refer to your request for internal review of the decision made in
respect of your FOI Request LS5827, for access to documented procedures
for enrolling itinerant electors.
The Australian Electoral Commission (‘AEC’) received your request for
internal review on 16 December 2016. The internal review will be
considered by a decision maker other than Owen Jones, Senior Lawyer of the
AEC. You may expect a decision to be made about the internal review on or
before 16 January 2017. Please use the new reference number (LS5879) that
applies to your request for internal review in any correspondence about
this matter.
In the original decision made by Owen Jones on 15 December 2016, Mr Jones
found, as outlined, at paragraph 5 of the letter, that he did not identify
any documents that fell within the scope of the second limb of your FOI
request. As such, you requested in your internal review ‘a thorough search
of training materials that exist for polling place staff’, specifically in
relation to what was the second limb of your original FOI request which
was for:
· copies of any procedures for polling place staff in processing
itinerant electors on polling day, especially as it relates to voting out
of state.
We will contact you using the email address that you provided.
Please advise if you would prefer us to use an alternative means of
contact. If you have any questions, please contact:
email: [1][email address]
fax: 02 6293 7657
post: Locked bag 4007, Canberra ACT 2601
telephone: 02 6271 4474
Regards
Antonia Exposito | Administrative Assistant
Legal Services Section | Legal & Procurement Branch
Australian Electoral Commission
T: (02) 6271 4405
UNCLASSIFIED
DISCLAIMER:
If you have received this transmission in error please notify us
immediately by return email and delete all copies. If this email or any
attachments have been sent to you in error, that error does not constitute
waiver of any confidentiality, privilege or copyright in respect of
information in the email or attachments.
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
UNCLASSIFIED
Dear Mr Young,
I refer to your email dated 16 December 2016 8:29AM, to the Australian
Electoral Commission (‘AEC’) in which you request (your ‘Internal Review
Request’) under the [1]Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the ‘FOI Act’)
into the decision on your FOI Request LS5827 made by Mr Owen Jones, Senior
Lawyer of the AEC dated 15 December 2016.
I enclose a scanned letter dated 12 January 2017 from Paul Pirani, Chief
Legal Officer of the AEC, notifying you of his decision on your FOI
Internal Review Request.
Regards
Antonia Exposito | Administrative Assistant
Legal Services Section | Legal & Procurement Branch
Australian Electoral Commission
T: (02) 6271 4405
UNCLASSIFIED
DISCLAIMER:
If you have received this transmission in error please notify us
immediately by return email and delete all copies. If this email or any
attachments have been sent to you in error, that error does not constitute
waiver of any confidentiality, privilege or copyright in respect of
information in the email or attachments.
References
Visible links
1. https://www.legislation.gov.au/Series/C2...
Andrew Donnellan left an annotation ()
I have served as a polling official with the AEC on a couple of occasions, and as far as I'm aware, there is no specific training on dealing with itinerant electors - I don't have my training books with me, but I don't recall there being any special procedures for itinerant electors whatsoever. As far as your frontline polling official is concerned, they're exactly the same as any other elector, perhaps with the exception of needing to clarify when we ask "where do you live" that what is actually meant is the elector's address on the electoral roll.
For interstate voting, again, same as any other elector - they need to complete a declaration vote, and they need to know their address on the electoral roll.