Sensitive

Good afternoon Ms Dehm,

Acknowledgement of Freedom of Information Access request:
This letter refers to an access request received under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act) on 30 July 2013. Your request has been allocated FOI request number FA13/08/00043. Please include your FOI request number in all correspondence with the Freedom of Information section.

In terms of the part of your request relating to ' details of any commercial airlines or logical companies who have put in tenders to such contracts' this is a request for information as opposed to a request for documents. This part of your request has not been considered valid under the FOI Act 1982 therefore has not been included as part of your scope.

The right to request documents under the FOI Act is outlined in the Guidelines published by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):

Section 11(1) of the FOI Act gives every person a legally enforceable right to obtain access to a document of an agency or an official document of a minister, unless the document is exempt. [para 2.1]

The right of access enshrined in the FOI Act applies to ‘documents’. This term is defined in s 4(1) to include maps, photographs, and any article from which sounds, images or writing are capable of being reproduced (for example, emails). There is no general obligation on agencies to reduce information to written documentary form in order to facilitate an FOI request, except in relation to information that is stored on a computer tape or disk (s 17). [para 1.26]

The right of access is to existing documents, rather than to information. The FOI Act does not require an agency or minister to create a new document in response to a request for access, except in limited circumstances where the applicant seeks access in a different format (see Part 8 of these Guidelines) or where the information is stored in an agency computer system rather than in discrete form.
The right of access applies to documents that exist at the time the FOI request was made. [para 3.8]

Therefore, any general request for 'information' or 'data' that does not already exist on DIAC documents will be an invalid request.

The full Guidelines can be accessed on the OAIC's website at: http://www.oaic.gov.au/publications/guid...

Processing times:
The statutory time allowed under the FOI Act for processing requests is 30 days. Requests are generally processed in the order in which they are received.

Contacting the FOI Section:
If you wish to discuss this matter, I can be contacted using the details provided below.

Client service information:
Information about our Client Service Charter and how to make a compliment, complaint or suggestion, is included in the Client Service Information attachment.

Contacting the department:
You can contact us with a general enquiry in a number of ways including by email, through our website, by telephone through our Service Centres or offices around the world, or in person. In Australia you can call 13 18 81 between 9 am and 4 pm Monday to Friday. Details on contacting our offices outside Australia are available on our website at www.immi.gov.au.

CLIENT SERVICE INFORMATION:
Client Service Charter
Our Client Service Charter explains our service commitment to you. We are committed to service delivery that is timely, open and accountable, and responsive to your needs. The Charter explains how you can help us and how you can provide feedback or make a complaint. You can read our Client Service Charter on our website, or in a printed copy available from any of our offices.

Service satisfaction:
The department remains committed to ensuring that all clients, both in Australia and overseas, receive not only fair and reasonable treatment, but also an efficient standard of service that is sensitive to each client’s needs.

To provide a compliment, complaint or suggestion you can:
— telephone the Global Feedback Unit on 13 31 77 during business hours
— complete a feedback form online at www.immi.gov.au
— write to:
The Manager
Global Feedback Unit
GPO Box 241
Melbourne VIC 3001
Australia
contact us directly through any of our offices.

Yours sincerely

Ashley Smith
Position number 60006174
FOI Officer
FOI & Privacy Policy Section
National Office
Department of Immigration and Citizenship

Telephone (02) 6264 1757
Email [email address]

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UNOFFICIAL

Our references: FA 13/08/00043;  ADF2013/24357

Dear Ms Dehm,

Re: Your Freedom of Information request

I am writing to inform you that I have been appointed as the authorised
decision maker on your FOI request for:

" …any contracts between the Department and commercial airlines or
logistical companies for the transport of asylum seekers from

                Christmas Island to Manus Island subsequent to Rudd's 19
July 2013 policy announcement"

As part of DIAC's FOI service standard, I will update you every 14 days
regarding progress of your request. However, please do not hesitate to
contact me if you have any questions or wish to discuss the request in the
interim.

I am writing to advise you that DIAC has not as yet identified all the
relevant documents. As a result, I am in consultation with the relevant
business areas regarding the searches for relevant documents

Kind regards,

Elizabeth Hill
FOI & Privacy Officer

Ministerial & Executive Services
Department of Immigration and Citizenship
Telephone: (02) 6264 3951
Email: [1][email address]

UNOFFICIAL

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References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]

UNOFFICIAL

Dear Ms Dehm,

Your FOI request FA 13/08/00043 has now been finalised and is attached for
your reference.

Kind regards,

Elizabeth Hill
FOI & Privacy Officer

Ministerial & Executive Services
Department of Immigration and Citizenship
Telephone: (02) 6264 3951
Email: [email address]

UNOFFICIAL

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