Submissions received in response to EPBC Referral 2019/8420 - Cultana Pumped Hydro Energy Scheme
Dan Monceaux made this Freedom of Information request to Department of the Environment and Energy
This request has been closed to new correspondence from the public body. Contact us if you think it ought be re-opened.
Dear Department of the Environment and Energy FoI Officers,
I am writing to request copies of all submissions received by the Department in response to EPBC Referral 2019/8420 - Cultana Pumped Hydro Energy Scheme.
I am making this request under the Freedom of Information Act 1982.
Yours faithfully,
Dan Monceaux
Dear Mr Monceaux,
Please find attached correspondence relating to FOI 190910.
Regards,
____________________
Dominic Rule
General Counsel Branch
Department of the Environment and Energy
a: GPO Box 787 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e: [email address]
Note: The contents of any legal advice provided by the General Counsel Branch is subject to legal professional privilege. Do not disclose the contents of any such legal advice more broadly within the Department (i.e. outside the scope of persons to whom the legal advice is (or was) directed), via the intranet or outside the Department without first consulting the General Counsel Branch.
Dear Department of the Environment and Energy,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Department of the Environment and Energy's handling of my FOI request 'Submissions received in response to EPBC Referral 2019/8420 - Cultana Pumped Hydro Energy Scheme'.
A time extension of 30 days was requested, but that time window has long since lapsed, and no final determination notice was given.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/s...
Yours faithfully,
Dan Monceaux
Dear Mr Monceaux
Thank you for your email.
If we are not mistaken, it appears you are seeking an internal review for not having received a final decision for your request FOI 190910?
Our records indicate that a decision on access for your request was sent to you on 8 November 2019 (copy attached) and that notification is also on the Right to Know website, see link https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/r...
Noting this, could you please advise if you would like to continue with the request for internal review?
Kind regards
FOI Contact Officer | Environment Legal Branch
T: (02) 6274 2098 | E: [Department of the Environment and Energy request email]
___________________________________________
Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
GPO BOX 787 CANBERRA ACT 2601
www.awe.gov.au
Note: The contents of any legal advice provided by the Environment Legal Branch are subject to legal professional privilege. Do not disclose the contents of any such legal advice more broadly within the Department (i.e. outside the scope of persons to whom the legal advice is (or was) directed), on the intranet or outside the Department without first consulting the Environment Legal Branch.
-----Original Message-----
From: Dan Monceaux <[FOI #5621 email]>
Sent: Saturday, 4 April 2020 2:32 PM
To: FOI Contact Officer <[email address]>
Subject: Internal review of Freedom of Information request - Submissions received in response to EPBC Referral 2019/8420 - Cultana Pumped Hydro Energy Scheme
Dear Department of the Environment and Energy,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Department of the Environment and Energy's handling of my FOI request 'Submissions received in response to EPBC Referral 2019/8420 - Cultana Pumped Hydro Energy Scheme'.
A time extension of 30 days was requested, but that time window has long since lapsed, and no final determination notice was given.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/s...
Yours faithfully,
Dan Monceaux
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #5621 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:
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.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mr Monceaux
We are following up on our email correspondence to you of 6 April 2020 of
which we are yet to receive a response.
We understand you have sought an internal review because you did not
receive a decision on your FOI request. However we have sent you the
decision record and documents released subject to that decision.
Should we not hear back from you by COB Thursday 16 April 2020, we will
assume that you do not wish to proceed with the internal review in
circumstances where you have already been provided with a copy of the
decision.
Further to that we note that the 30 day period of which to seek an
internal review of the primary decision has been exceeded by 120 days.
The Department is often willing to consider an extension however in these
circumstances we consider an internal review is not necessary.
Kind regards
FOI Contact Officer | Environment Legal Branch
T: (02) 6274 2098 | E: [Department of the Environment and Energy request email]
___________________________________________
Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
GPO BOX 787 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Note: The contents of any legal advice provided by the Environment Legal
Branch are subject to legal professional privilege. Do not disclose the
contents of any such legal advice more broadly within the Department (i.e.
outside the scope of persons to whom the legal advice is (or was)
directed), on the intranet or outside the Department without first
consulting the Environment Legal Branch.
-----Original Message-----
From: FOI Contact Officer <[email address]>
Sent: Monday, 6 April 2020 11:44 AM
To: 'Dan Monceaux' <[FOI #5621 email]>
Cc: FOI Contact Officer <[email address]>
Subject: RE: Internal review of Freedom of Information request -
Submissions received in response to EPBC Referral 2019/8420 - Cultana
Pumped Hydro Energy Scheme [SEC=OFFICIAL]
Dear Mr Monceaux
Thank you for your email.
If we are not mistaken, it appears you are seeking an internal review for
not having received a final decision for your request FOI 190910?
Our records indicate that a decision on access for your request was sent
to you on 8 November 2019 (copy attached) and that notification is also on
the Right to Know website, see link
[1]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/r...
Noting this, could you please advise if you would like to continue with
the request for internal review?
Kind regards
FOI Contact Officer | Environment Legal Branch
T: (02) 6274 2098 | E: [2][Department of the Environment and Energy request email]
___________________________________________
Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment GPO BOX 787 CANBERRA
ACT 2601 [3]www.awe.gov.au
Note: The contents of any legal advice provided by the Environment Legal
Branch are subject to legal professional privilege. Do not disclose the
contents of any such legal advice more broadly within the Department (i.e.
outside the scope of persons to whom the legal advice is (or was)
directed), on the intranet or outside the Department without first
consulting the Environment Legal Branch.
-----Original Message-----
From: Dan Monceaux <[4][FOI #5621 email]>
Sent: Saturday, 4 April 2020 2:32 PM
To: FOI Contact Officer <[5][email address]>
Subject: Internal review of Freedom of Information request - Submissions
received in response to EPBC Referral 2019/8420 - Cultana Pumped Hydro
Energy Scheme
Dear Department of the Environment and Energy,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information
reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Department of the
Environment and Energy's handling of my FOI request 'Submissions received
in response to EPBC Referral 2019/8420 - Cultana Pumped Hydro Energy
Scheme'.
A time extension of 30 days was requested, but that time window has long
since lapsed, and no final determination notice was given.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on
the Internet at this address:
[6]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/s...
Yours faithfully,
Dan Monceaux
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[7][FOI #5621 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:
[8]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.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
References
Visible links
1. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/r...
2. mailto:[Department of the Environment and Energy request email]
3. http://www.awe.gov.au/
4. mailto:[FOI #5621 email]
5. mailto:[email address]
6. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/s...
7. mailto:[FOI #5621 email]
8. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...
Dear Mr Monceaux
FOI 200403 – Request for extension
The Department has received your Freedom of Information request. However,
due to the threat of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), the Department is
experiencing a significant call on resources to manage Australia’s
response. This means we may not be able to process your request within the
expected timeframe.
Therefore we require additional time to process your request and seek your
agreement to an extension of time, of a period of 30 days under section
15AA of the FOI Act.
With your agreement, we wish to extend the statutory deadline on your
request to Wednesday 3 June 2020.
We would appreciate your agreement (in writing) as soon as possible.
We apologise for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience during
this time.
Kind regards
FOI Contact Officer | Environment Legal Branch
T: (02) 6274 2098 | E: [1][Department of the Environment and Energy request email]
___________________________________________
Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
GPO BOX 787 CANBERRA ACT 2601
[2]www.awe.gov.au
Note: The contents of any legal advice provided by the Environment Legal
Branch are subject to legal professional privilege. Do not disclose the
contents of any such legal advice more broadly within the Department (i.e.
outside the scope of persons to whom the legal advice is (or was)
directed), on the intranet or outside the Department without first
consulting the Environment Legal Branch.
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[Department of the Environment and Energy request email]
2. http://www.awe.gov.au/
Dear Mr Monceaux
This is a follow up email to our email dated Friday 17 April 2020, seeking
an extension under s15AA of the FOI Act. Email is below for your
reference.
We would appreciate your response as soon as possible.
Regards
FOI Contact Officer | Environment Legal Branch
T: (02) 6274 2098 | E: [1][Department of the Environment and Energy request email]
___________________________________________
Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
GPO BOX 787 CANBERRA ACT 2601
[2]www.awe.gov.au
Note: The contents of any legal advice provided by the Environment Legal
Branch are subject to legal professional privilege. Do not disclose the
contents of any such legal advice more broadly within the Department (i.e.
outside the scope of persons to whom the legal advice is (or was)
directed), on the intranet or outside the Department without first
consulting the Environment Legal Branch.
From: FOI Contact Officer <[email address]>
Sent: Friday, 17 April 2020 2:29 PM
To: 'Dan Monceaux' <[FOI #5621 email]>
Cc: FOI Contact Officer <[email address]>
Subject: REQUEST FOR EXTENSION s15AA - FOI 200403 [SEC=OFFICIAL]
Dear Mr Monceaux
FOI 200403 – Request for extension
The Department has received your Freedom of Information request. However,
due to the threat of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), the Department is
experiencing a significant call on resources to manage Australia’s
response. This means we may not be able to process your request within the
expected timeframe.
Therefore we require additional time to process your request and seek your
agreement to an extension of time, of a period of 30 days under section
15AA of the FOI Act.
With your agreement, we wish to extend the statutory deadline on your
request to Wednesday 3 June 2020.
We would appreciate your agreement (in writing) as soon as possible.
We apologise for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience during
this time.
Kind regards
FOI Contact Officer | Environment Legal Branch
T: (02) 6274 2098 | E: [3][Department of the Environment and Energy request email]
___________________________________________
Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
GPO BOX 787 CANBERRA ACT 2601
[4]www.awe.gov.au
Note: The contents of any legal advice provided by the Environment Legal
Branch are subject to legal professional privilege. Do not disclose the
contents of any such legal advice more broadly within the Department (i.e.
outside the scope of persons to whom the legal advice is (or was)
directed), on the intranet or outside the Department without first
consulting the Environment Legal Branch.
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[Department of the Environment and Energy request email]
2. http://www.awe.gov.au/
3. mailto:[Department of the Environment and Energy request email]
4. http://www.awe.gov.au/