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In reply, please quote:
FOI30/113
Alex Pentland
Via email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Dear Alex Pentland
Re: Freedom of Information Request – Current Bureau of
Meteorology Style Guides and Writing Guides
1. I refer to your request under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) received by
email 26 August 2023.
2. I am authorised to make a decision in relation to your request pursuant to s 23 of the FOI
Act. My decision and reasons for decision follow.
Timeframe for dealing with your request
3. The FOI Act provides an initial period of 30 days to deal with a request.
4. A decision on your request is therefore due to be notified to you by 25 September 2023.
Your request
5. You have sought access to the following documents:
Style Guides/Brand Guides/Writing Guides currently used for the Bureau of
Meteorology
6. On 7 September 2023 you agreed to the removal of the following information where it is
contained within documents in scope of your request:
• the names of non-senior officers of the Bureau (below the General Manager level)
and the names of any third parties;
• the direct contact details of Bureau staff and third parties; and
• duplicate copies of documents, including email threads that contain duplicated
material.
My decision
Searches for documents
7. The following searches were carried out for documents that fall within scope of your
request:
a) identifying the relevant Bureau area and staff who are familiar with the material
relevant to your request.
Melbourne Office
GPO Box 1289, Me bourne VIC 3001 Australia | T: +61 3 9669 4000 | www.bom.gov.au | ABN 92 637 533 532
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b) directing the relevant staff to undertake searches for accessible final version for all
documents in scope.
c) Emails, SharePoint and Intranet sites were searched.
d) a senior staff member in the Communications team was consulted to confirm that the
documents are the final versions.
8. I am satisfied that all reasonable steps have been taken to find documents in scope of
your request.
Documents in scope
9. A total of 2 documents have been identified as being fully in scope of your request.
10. I have decided to release the total of these documents to you in full.
11. Attached to my decision is a Schedule of documents in scope of your request.
12. I have decided not to issue charges in relation to this request.
Material considered in making decision
13. In making my decision in relation to each document I have considered:
• the document;
• your request for access;
• information about the document search process;
• the FOI Act;
• where relevant, third party submissions; and
• the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner,
Guidelines under s 93A of the
FOI Act (FOI Guidelines).
For further information
14. The Bureau aims to provide accessible documents. If you need this document in a
different format, please contact xxx@xxx.xxx.xx.
15. If you have any questions about this letter, or need further information, please do not
hesitate to contact xxx@xxx.xxx.xx
Yours sincerely
Timothy McLean
General Manager, Communications
Bureau of Meteorology
[authorised electronically in lieu of signature]
25 September 2023
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Review rights
16. Please refer to the information included below about your review rights. If you are
dissatisfied with this decision, you have certain rights of review available to you.
17. Firstly, under s 54 of the FOI Act, you may apply for an internal review of the decision.
Your application must be made by whichever date is the later between:
• 30 days of you receiving this notice; or
• 15 days of you receiving the documents to which you have been granted access.
18. An internal review will be conducted by a different officer from the original decision-
maker. No particular form is required to apply for review although it will assist your case
to set out in the application the grounds on which you believe that the original decision
should be overturned.
19. An application for an internal review of the decision can be made:
• by email at: xxx@xxx.xxx.xx
• by post, addressed to:
Freedom of Information Officer
Bureau of Meteorology
GPO Box 1289 Melbourne 3001
20. If you choose to seek an internal review, you will subsequently have a right to apply to the
Australian Information Commissioner for a review of the internal review decision.
External review by the Australian Information Commissioner
21. Alternatively, under s 54L of the FOI Act, you may seek review of this decision by the
Australian Information Commissioner without first going to internal review. Your application
must be made within 60 days of you receiving this notice.
22. The Information Commissioner is an independent office holder who may review decisions
of agencies and Ministers under the FOI Act. More information is available on the
Information Commissioner's website www.oaic.gov.au.
23. You can contact the Information Commissioner to request a review:
• online:
https://forms.business.gov.au/smartforms/servlet/SmartForm.html?formCode=IC
R 10
• by email: xxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx
• by post: GPO Box 5218 Sydney NSW 2001
More information about Information Commissioner review is available on the Office of the
Australian Information Commissioner website. Go to https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-
information/reviews-and-complaints/information-commissioner-review/.
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FOI complaints
24. If you are unhappy with the way we have handled your FOI request, please let us know
what we could have done better. We may be able to rectify the problem. If you are not
satisfied with our response, you can complain to the Information Commissioner. A
complaint to the Information Commissioner must be made in writing. Complaints can be
lodged in one of the following ways:
• online:
https://forms.business.gov.au/smartforms/servlet/SmartForm.html?formCode=IC
CA 1
• by email: xxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx
• by post: GPO Box 5218 Sydney 2001
25. More information about complaints is available on the Office of the Australian Information
Commissioner website at https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-information/reviews-and-
complaints/make-an-foi-complaint/.
26. If you are not sure whether to lodge an Information Commissioner review or an Information
Commissioner complaint, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has more
information at: https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-information/reviews-and-complaints/.
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