Resolution of frozen UK State Pensions issue

Paul Swain made this Freedom of Information request to Deputy Prime Minister

This request has been closed to new correspondence from the public body. Contact us if you think it ought be re-opened.

Deputy Prime Minister did not have the information requested.

Dear Deputy Prime Minister,

You recently represented Australia at CHOGM in Rwanda, thus giving the Australian Government another chance to raise the frozen UK State Pension issue with the members of the Commonwealth, and hopefully resolve it with the UK Government.

1. Could you please provide me with any documents that you or your office hold that shows that you attempted to raise and/or resolve the frozen UK State Pension issue during the recent CHOGM.

2. If you DID NOT attempt to raise and/or resolve the frozen UK State Pension issue during the recent CHOGM, could you please provide me with any documents that you or your office hold that show why the Australian Government did not attempt to raise and/or resolve this issue on this occasion.

Following the Attorney General's recent comments about the Freedom of Information Act on the ABC Radio National Law Report programme on 28 June 2022 - see https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/pro..., I hope that you will respond fully and swiftly.

Yours faithfully,

Paul Swain

Dear Deputy Prime Minister,

I refer to the 15 July 2022 email - see https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/r... - from FOI Coordinator Leisha.

This referred to this request, but has been attached to my request to the Prime Minister - see https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/r...

So that I get a response as soon as possible, could you please check that the correct request has been sent to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister/the Department of Defence.

Yours faithfully,

Paul Swain

FOI, Deputy Prime Minister

3 Attachments

OFFICIAL

Reference:  FOI 2022/184

 

Dear Mr Swain

 

In response to your email below please accept my apologies in relation to
the email being set to the incorrect address.  I can confirm that the
attached FOI request (Ref FOI 2022/184) has been correctly transferred to
the Department of Defence, for the attention of the Deputy Prime
Minister’s Office to action.

 

Please be assured that I have confirmed with Defence that they are in
receipt of the attached FOI you have made to the Deputy Prime Minister,
dated 29 June 2022 in the following terms:

 

1. Could you please provide me with any documents that you or your office
hold that shows that you attempted to raise and/or resolve the frozen UK
State Pension issue during the recent CHOGM.

 

2. If you DID NOT attempt to raise and/or resolve the frozen UK State
Pension issue during the recent CHOGM, could you please provide me with
any documents that you or your office hold that show why the Australian
Government did not attempt to raise and/or resolve this issue on this
occasion.

 

You may contact Defence for future advice on this request, they can be
contacted at [1][email address]

 

Kind regards

Leisha

 

Coordinator | FOI Section[]

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

p. (02) 6271 5849

Ngunnawal Country | One National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box
6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [2][email address]  w. [3]pmc.gov.au

 

[4]cid:image003.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0 The
Department
acknowledges
and pays
respect to
the past,
present and
emerging
Elders and
Traditional
Custodians
of Country,
and the
continuation
of cultural,
spiritual
and
educational
practices of
Aboriginal
and Torres
Strait
Islander
peoples.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Original Message-----
From: Paul Swain <[FOI #9063 email]>
Sent: Friday, 15 July 2022 7:16 PM
To: FOI <[email address]>
Subject: Re: Freedom of Information request - Resolution of frozen UK
State Pensions issue

 

Dear Deputy Prime Minister,

 

I refer to the 15 July 2022 email - see
[5]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/r...
- from FOI Coordinator Leisha.

 

This referred to this request, but has been attached to my request to the
Prime Minister - see
[6]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/r...

 

So that I get a response as soon as possible, could you please check that
the correct request has been sent to the Office of the Deputy Prime
Minister/the Department of Defence.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

Paul Swain

 

 

From: FOI <[email address]>
Sent: Friday, 15 July 2022 10:42 AM
To: 'Paul Swain' <[email address]>
Cc: FOI <[email address]>
Subject: Notification of FOI Request Transfer - PM/22/002 [SEC=OFFICIAL]

 

OFFICIAL

Reference: PM/22/002

 

Dear Mr Swain 

 

We apologise for the delay in writing to you.  The purpose of this email
is to update you about your request, and advise that we have transferred
the request to the responsible Minister’s Office for processing.

 

The FOI Act provides a mechanism to transfer a request to another agency
or Minister where the subject-matter of the request is more closely
connected with their (s 16(1)(b)). This ensures that a decision on the
request is made by the most appropriate agency.  As the subject-matter of
the documents you have requested is more closely connected with the
functions of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, than with the
functions of PM&C, your request has been transferred in full to the
Minister, who is supported by the Department of Defence.

 

If you wish to contact their Office please do so by emailing
[7][email address]

 

Kind regards

Leisha

 

FOI Coordinator | FOI Section[]

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

p. (02) 6271 5849

Ngunnawal Country | One National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box
6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [8][email address]  w. [9]pmc.gov.au

 

[10]cid:image003.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0 The
Department
acknowledges
and pays
respect to
the past,
present and
emerging
Elders and
Traditional
Custodians
of Country,
and the
continuation
of cultural,
spiritual
and
educational
practices of
Aboriginal
and Torres
Strait
Islander
peoples.

 

 

 

 

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References

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FOI Case Management,

1 Attachment

OFFICIAL

Dear Paul

 

Please find attached the Decision relating to your FOI request to the
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

 

Information about your rights of review under the FOI Act is available at:
[1]Information Commissioner review - Home (oaic.gov.au)

 

Please contact this office should you require any further information.

 

Regards

 

Kathryn
Assistant Director Freedom of Information Media & Sensitive
Media and Information Disclosure Branch

Ministerial & Executive Coordination and Communication Division

 

Tel: 02 6132 7927

IMPORTANT: This email remains the property of the Department of Defence.
Unauthorised communication and dealing with the information in the email
may be a serious criminal offence. If you have received this email in
error, you are requested to contact the sender and delete the email
immediately.

 

 

References

Visible links
1. https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor...