Mr Justin Kavanagh
mailto:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx

Dear Mr Kavanagh

RE:  Application under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act)

I refer to your application of 22 February 2016 in which you make a request under the Commonwealth Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) for:

“… a copy of a letter, dated on or about 2 August 2015, submitted by The Honourable Bronwyn Bishop MP to His Excellency the Governor General.  The subject of this letter is the resignation of Mrs Bishop as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

I further request a copy of any reply sent to Mrs Bishop by the Governor General, or by His Excellency The Honourable Paul de Jersey acting in his capacity as Administrator of the Commonwealth, accepting Mrs Bishop's resignation.

As precedent for this request, I refer to previous correspondence to the Governor General released by this Office, referring to the resignation of former Prime Minister The Honourable Julia Gillard on 26 June 2013.  This information is still hosted on this Office's website at the following address:  https://www.gg.gov.au/media-release/correspondence-governor-general-hon-julia-gillard-mp-and-hon-kevin-rudd-mp-26-and-27-june-2013.”

Please note that special arrangements apply to the Office of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General.  Section 6A of the FOI Act includes that following provision:

1.	This Act does not apply to any request for access to a document of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General unless the document relates to matters of an administrative nature.
2.	For the purpose of this Act, a document in the possession of a person employed under section 13 of the Governor-General Act 1974 that is in his or her possession by reason of his or her employment under that section shall be taken to be in the possession of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General.

Our office is currently investigating this matter and will respond to you within 30 days, in accordance with the Act. If you have any questions, please contact me on (02) 6283 3509.

Yours sincerely

Steve Murtagh
Deputy Official Secretary
15 March 2016