2 February 2024
FOI ref: 3507
Alex Pentland
By email: foi+request‐10999‐xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Dear Alex Pentland
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST – DECISION
I refer to your request to Treasury on 4 January 2024 for access, under the
Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (
FOI Act), to the following:
I request access to the Style Guides/Brand Guides/Wri ng Guides currently used for the
Department of the Treasury
I am an authorised decision maker under section 23 of the FOI Act.
Decision
The Treasury has identified three documents within scope of your request, listed in the
attached schedule. I have decided to release two documents in full (documents 2 and 3). I have
decided to release one document in part (document 1). Irrelevant information in the
documents has been deleted under section 22 of the FOI Act. My decision on each document is
shown in the schedule.
The documents for release are attached.
Further information regarding my decision is set out below.
Material Considered
The material to which I have had regard in making this decision includes the scope of the
request and content of the documents subject to your request, the relevant provisions in the
FOI Act and Guidelines issued by the Australian Information Commissioner under section 93A
of the FOI Act (FOI Guidelines), and advice from subject matter experts within the Treasury.
Langton Crescent
Parkes ACT 2600
Australia
P: +61 2 6263 2800
Reasons for decision
Material deleted pursuant to Section 22
Section 22 of the FOI Act allows information that is irrelevant to your request to be deleted.
The documents contain material that is irrelevant to your request. This material has been
deleted under section 22 of the FOI Act.
Operations of an agency – Section 47E(d)
Section 47E(d) of the FOI Act provides that a document is conditionally exempt if its disclosure
would, or could reasonably be expected to, have a substantial adverse effect on the proper
and efficient operations of an agency.
Document 1 contains an internal Treasury email address which is not publicly known. As the
Treasury has established channels of communication with members of the public, I consider
disclosure of the email address could result in unwarranted interference with the Treasury’s
internal and external communication processes to a substantial adverse degree.
Accordingly, I find that the document is conditionally exempt in part under section 47E(d) of
the FOI Act. My consideration of the public interest is set out below.
Public interest
Section 11A(5) of the FOI Act provides that, if a document is conditionally exempt, it must be
disclosed unless, in the circumstances, access to the document at that time would, on balance,
be contrary to the public interest. This requires consideration of factors for and against
disclosure.
In favour of disclosure, I consider that release of the internal Treasury email address would
promote the objects of the FOI Act given its inherent pro‐disclosure position. However,
ultimately, I discern no specific public interest in the release of this information as it does not
speak to the substance of your request.
Against release of the internal treasury email address, I consider there is an overriding public
interest in government agencies being able to maintain their confidential internal
communication channels to ensure the efficient discharge of their functions and operations.
On balance, I have decided that the public interest in disclosing the conditionally exempt
material is outweighed by the public interest factors against disclosure. I have therefore
decided that Document 1 is exempt in part under section 47E(d) the FOI Act. I have not taken
into account any of the irrelevant factors set out in section 11B(4) of the FOI Act in making this
decision.
Rights of Review
A statement setting out your rights of review in this matter is attached.
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Disclosure Log
The Treasury publishes documents disclosed in response to FOI requests on the Treasury
website. This is consistent with the arrangements established by section 11C of the FOI Act. In
this instance, I consider that the documents released to you are appropriate for publication on
the Treasury’s FOI disclosure log. This is consistent with the arrangements established by
section 11C of the FOI Act.
Yours sincerely
s 22
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FOI 3507 Document Schedule
Doc No. Description
Decision
1.
Corporate Brand
Release in part
‐
Section 47E(d) – operations of
agencies
‐
Section 22 – irrelevant information
2.
Budget Brand
Release in full
‐
Section 22 – irrelevant information
3.
Budget Style Manual
Release in full
‐
Section 22 – irrelevant information
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INFORMATION ON RIGHTS OF REVIEW
1.
APPLICATION FOR INTERNAL REVIEW OF DECISION
Section 54 of the FOI Act gives you the right to apply for an internal review of the decision
refusing to grant access to documents in accordance with your request.
An application for a review of the decision must be made in writing within 30 days of receipt of
this letter.
No particular form is required but it would assist the decision‐maker if you could set out in the
application the grounds on which you consider that the decision should be reviewed.
An application for a review of the decision should be emailed to xxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx.xx.
OR
2.
APPLICATION TO AUSTRALIAN INFORMATION COMMISSIONER (INFORMATION
COMMISSIONER) FOR REVIEW OF DECISION
Section 54L of the FOI Act gives you the right to seek a review of the decision from the
Information Commissioner. An application for review must be made within 60 days of
receiving the decision.
An application for review must be in writing and must:
– give details of how notices must be sent to you; and
– include a copy of the notice of decision.
You should send your application for review to:
The Information Commissioner
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
GPO Box 5218
SYDNEY NSW 2001
AND/OR
3.
COMPLAINTS TO THE INFORMATION COMMISSIONER
Section 70 of the FOI Act provides that a person may complain to the Information
Commissioner about action taken by an agency in the exercise of powers or the performance
of functions under the FOI Act.
A complaint to the Information Commissioner must be in writing and identify the agency the
complaint is about. It should be directed to the following address:
The Information Commissioner
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
GPO Box 5218
SYDNEY NSW 2001
The Information Commissioner may decline to investigate the complaint in a number of
circumstances, including that you did not exercise your right to ask the agency, the
Information Commissioner, a court or tribunal to review the decision.
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