Seeking evidence Department informed Minister of commercial security contractors awarded HOSM with clasp 'Indian Ocean'

Response to this request is long overdue. By law, under all circumstances, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet should have responded by now (details). You can complain by requesting an internal review.

Dear Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet,

1. Please provide a copy of the document recording the Department's initial advice to the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister informing the PSPM that the HOSM with 'Indian Occean' clasp was awarded to commercial security contractors supporting the General Electric humanitarian operation in Banda Aceh

2. Mr Peter Rush held delegated duties to administer the HOSM program. Please provide a copy of any document recording Mr Rush's advice regarding the commercial security contractors serving with the GE contingent in Banda Aceh

Yours faithfully,

Trav S

FOI, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

4 Attachments

OFFICIAL

Reference: FOI/2024/238

 

Dear Trav S

 

Thank you for your email of 23 July 2024 in which you made a request
under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act) to the Department
of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (the Department).

 

You set out the terms of the request as follows:

 

1. Please provide a copy of the document recording the Department's
initial advice to the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister
informing the PSPM that the HOSM with 'Indian Occean' clasp was awarded to
commercial security contractors supporting the General Electric
humanitarian operation in Banda Aceh

 

2. Mr Peter Rush held delegated duties to administer the HOSM program.
Please provide a copy of any document recording Mr Rush's advice regarding
the commercial security contractors serving with the GE contingent in
Banda Aceh

 

Timeframe for receiving your decision

The 30 day statutory period for processing your request commenced from the
day after the Department received your request, you should therefore
expect a decision from us by 22 August 2024.

The processing period of 30 days may be extended in certain circumstances
and we will write to you separately regarding 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]https://www.pmc.gov.au/government/depart...,
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.

 

If you consider that the information categorised above is relevant to the
terms of your request please let us know at [3][DPMC request email], 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 deleted from any documents for release). 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.

 

Further information on FOI processing can be found at the website of the
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
[4]https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor....

 

Yours sincerely

Janelle

 

Adviser | 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. [5][email address]  w. [6]pmc.gov.au

[7]cid:image001.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0[8]cid:image002.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0

[9]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.

 

 

 

______________________________________________________________________ 
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information 
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or 
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you 
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other 
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you 
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by 
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the 
message from your computer system. 
______________________________________________________________________

References

Visible links
1. https://www.pmc.gov.au/government/depart...
2. mailto:[DPMC request email]
3. mailto:[DPMC request email]
4. https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor...
5. mailto:[email address]
6. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
7. https://twitter.com/pmc_gov_au
8. https://www.linkedin.com/company/departm...

FOI, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

5 Attachments

OFFICIAL

 

Departmental references: FOI/2024/231, FOI/2024/232, FOI/2024/233,
FOI/2024/238 and FOI/2024/239

 

Dear Trav S

 

I refer your five requests of 22, 23 and 26 July 2024 for access to
documents relating to the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal held by the
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982.

 

The current due dates for a decisions on these requests are 21, 22 and 26
August 2024. We are seeking your agreement to short 14-day extensions
under section 15AA of the FOI Act to allow the Department sufficient time
to process these requests. We will endeavour to notify you of the
decisions on the requests prior to the extended due dates if possible.

 

If you agree to this request for a 14 day extensions of time, I ask that
you confirm this in writing via return email by COB on 16 August 2024.

 

Please contact us if you have any questions.

 

Kind regards

 

Adviser 

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. [1][email address]  w. [2]pmc.gov.au

[3]cid:image001.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0[4]cid:image002.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0

[5]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.

 

______________________________________________________________________ 
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information 
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or 
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you 
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other 
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you 
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by 
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the 
message from your computer system. 
______________________________________________________________________

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
3. https://twitter.com/pmc_gov_au
4. https://www.linkedin.com/company/departm...

FOI, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

5 Attachments

OFFICIAL

 

Departmental references: FOI/2024/231, FOI/2024/232, FOI/2024/233,
FOI/2024/238 and FOI/2024/239

 

Dear Trav S

 

I refer your five requests of 22, 23 and 26 July 2024 for access to
documents relating to the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal held by the
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982.

 

The current due dates for a decisions on these requests are 21, 22 and 26
August 2024. We are seeking your agreement to short 14-day extensions
under section 15AA of the FOI Act to allow the Department sufficient time
to process these requests. We will endeavour to notify you of the
decisions on the requests prior to the extended due dates if possible.

 

If you agree to this request for a 14 day extensions of time, I ask that
you confirm this in writing via return email by COB on 16 August 2024.

 

Please contact us if you have any questions.

 

Kind regards

 

Adviser 

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. [1][email address]  w. [2]pmc.gov.au

[3]cid:image001.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0[4]cid:image002.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0

[5]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.

 

______________________________________________________________________ 
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information 
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or 
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you 
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other 
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you 
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by 
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the 
message from your computer system. 
______________________________________________________________________

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
3. https://twitter.com/pmc_gov_au
4. https://www.linkedin.com/company/departm...

FOI, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

5 Attachments

OFFICIAL

 

Departmental references: FOI/2024/231, FOI/2024/232, FOI/2024/233,
FOI/2024/238 and FOI/2024/239

 

Dear Trav S

 

I refer your five requests of 22, 23 and 26 July 2024 for access to
documents relating to the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal held by the
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982.

 

The current due dates for a decisions on these requests are 21, 22 and 26
August 2024. We are seeking your agreement to short 14-day extensions
under section 15AA of the FOI Act to allow the Department sufficient time
to process these requests. We will endeavour to notify you of the
decisions on the requests prior to the extended due dates if possible.

 

If you agree to this request for a 14 day extensions of time, I ask that
you confirm this in writing via return email by COB on 16 August 2024.

 

Please contact us if you have any questions.

 

Kind regards

 

Adviser 

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. [1][email address]  w. [2]pmc.gov.au

[3]cid:image001.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0[4]cid:image002.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0

[5]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.

 

______________________________________________________________________ 
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information 
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or 
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you 
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other 
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you 
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by 
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the 
message from your computer system. 
______________________________________________________________________

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
3. https://twitter.com/pmc_gov_au
4. https://www.linkedin.com/company/departm...

FOI, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

5 Attachments

OFFICIAL

 

Departmental references: FOI/2024/231, FOI/2024/232, FOI/2024/233,
FOI/2024/238 and FOI/2024/239

 

Dear Trav S

 

I refer your five requests of 22, 23 and 26 July 2024 for access to
documents relating to the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal held by the
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982.

 

The current due dates for a decisions on these requests are 21, 22 and 26
August 2024. We are seeking your agreement to short 14-day extensions
under section 15AA of the FOI Act to allow the Department sufficient time
to process these requests. We will endeavour to notify you of the
decisions on the requests prior to the extended due dates if possible.

 

If you agree to this request for a 14 day extensions of time, I ask that
you confirm this in writing via return email by COB on 16 August 2024.

 

Please contact us if you have any questions.

 

Kind regards

 

Adviser 

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. [1][email address]  w. [2]pmc.gov.au

[3]cid:image001.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0[4]cid:image002.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0

[5]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.

 

______________________________________________________________________ 
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information 
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or 
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you 
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other 
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you 
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by 
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the 
message from your computer system. 
______________________________________________________________________

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
3. https://twitter.com/pmc_gov_au
4. https://www.linkedin.com/company/departm...

FOI, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

5 Attachments

OFFICIAL

 

Departmental references: FOI/2024/231, FOI/2024/232, FOI/2024/233,
FOI/2024/238 and FOI/2024/239

 

Dear Trav S

 

I refer your five requests of 22, 23 and 26 July 2024 for access to
documents relating to the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal held by the
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982.

 

The current due dates for a decisions on these requests are 21, 22 and 26
August 2024. We are seeking your agreement to short 14-day extensions
under section 15AA of the FOI Act to allow the Department sufficient time
to process these requests. We will endeavour to notify you of the
decisions on the requests prior to the extended due dates if possible.

 

If you agree to this request for a 14 day extensions of time, I ask that
you confirm this in writing via return email by COB on 16 August 2024.

 

Please contact us if you have any questions.

 

Kind regards

 

Adviser 

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. [1][email address]  w. [2]pmc.gov.au

[3]cid:image001.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0[4]cid:image002.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0

[5]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.

 

______________________________________________________________________ 
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information 
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or 
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you 
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other 
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you 
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by 
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the 
message from your computer system. 
______________________________________________________________________

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
3. https://twitter.com/pmc_gov_au
4. https://www.linkedin.com/company/departm...

Dear FOI,

I agree to the Department's proposed 14 day extension relating to the requests for documents below:

1. Please provide a copy of the document recording the Department's initial advice to the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister informing the PSPM that the HOSM with 'Indian Occean' clasp was awarded to commercial security contractors supporting the General Electric humanitarian operation in Banda Aceh

2. Mr Peter Rush held delegated duties to administer the HOSM program. Please provide a copy of any document recording Mr Rush's advice regarding the commercial security contractors serving with the GE contingent in Banda Aceh

Yours sincerely,

Trav S

FOI, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

5 Attachments

OFFICIAL

 

Departmental references: FOI/2024/233 & FOI/2024/238

 

Dear Trav S

 

I refer your requests of 22 and 23 July 2024 for access to documents
relating to relating to the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal held by
the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982.

 

Thank you for your previous agreement to extend the processing period for
these requests by 14 days. The processing of the requests has progressed;
however, neither matter will be ready for finalisation by current due
dates of 4 and 5 September 2024.

 

Accordingly, we are seeking your agreement to a second short extension of
7 days for these requests. This will mean that a decisions would be
required by 11 and 12 September 2024 respectively. You agreement will help
to ensure that the Department can make decisions with the processing
period which will in turn mean that your right to internal review is
preserved.

 

If you agree to this request for 7-day extensions of time, I ask that you
confirm this in writing via return email by COB on 4 September 2024.

 

Please contact us if you have any questions.

 

Kind regards

 

Adviser | 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. [1][email address]  w. [2]pmc.gov.au

[3]cid:image001.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0[4]cid:image002.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0

[5]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.

 

 

______________________________________________________________________ 
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information 
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or 
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you 
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other 
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you 
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by 
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the 
message from your computer system. 
______________________________________________________________________

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
3. https://twitter.com/pmc_gov_au
4. https://www.linkedin.com/company/departm...

FOI, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

5 Attachments

OFFICIAL

 

Departmental references: FOI/2024/233 & FOI/2024/238

 

Dear Trav S

 

I refer your requests of 22 and 23 July 2024 for access to documents
relating to relating to the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal held by
the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982.

 

Thank you for your previous agreement to extend the processing period for
these requests by 14 days. The processing of the requests has progressed;
however, neither matter will be ready for finalisation by current due
dates of 4 and 5 September 2024.

 

Accordingly, we are seeking your agreement to a second short extension of
7 days for these requests. This will mean that a decisions would be
required by 11 and 12 September 2024 respectively. You agreement will help
to ensure that the Department can make decisions with the processing
period which will in turn mean that your right to internal review is
preserved.

 

If you agree to this request for 7-day extensions of time, I ask that you
confirm this in writing via return email by COB on 4 September 2024.

 

Please contact us if you have any questions.

 

Kind regards

 

Adviser | 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. [1][email address]  w. [2]pmc.gov.au

[3]cid:image001.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0[4]cid:image002.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0

[5]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.

 

 

______________________________________________________________________ 
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information 
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or 
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you 
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other 
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you 
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by 
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the 
message from your computer system. 
______________________________________________________________________

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
3. https://twitter.com/pmc_gov_au
4. https://www.linkedin.com/company/departm...

Dear PMC,

I do not agree to further requests for extensions.

Dear OAIC,

I will be grateful if you will direct the Department to release the requested documents. Please note, I already agreed to a 14 day extension but cannot reasonably agree to a further extension.

The requested documents are related to several Information Commissioner ( IC ) reviews currently underway. The requested documents and the Department's statements of reasons are relevant to those cases and will contribute to informing the IC's weighing of the public interest factors in those cases. Further delays may affect efficient OAIC operations.

Thanks for your time.

Kind regards,

Trav S