2016-17 Most Expensive Event

Jackson Gothe-Snape made this Freedom of Information request to Department of Home Affairs as part of a batch sent to 18 authorities

This request has been closed to new correspondence from the public body. Contact us if you think it ought be re-opened.

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

Jackson Gothe-Snape

Dear Department of Immigration and Border Protection,

This is a request under the FOI Act.

Can you please provide the budgets, menus, expenses, invoices, receipts, credit card statements and reimbursements for the most expensive event attended by a Minister or Assistant Minister in your Department's portfolio area in 2016-17.

I request that any fees arising in relation to this request be waived as the information is in the public interest, as it helps inform the public about how the government is spending public revenue.

Yours sincerely,

Jackson Gothe-Snape

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Your email has been received by the Department of Immigration and Border
Protection’s Freedom of Information (FOI) Section. Please note that we
will only action and respond to FOI requests and other matters relating to
the Freedom of Information Act 1982.

 

If your email is a valid FOI request, the Department will contact you
shortly to acknowledge your request. Please be aware that there has been a
significant increase in the number of FOI requests received and that there
may be delays in the processing of your request. Please do not send
duplicate emails as this may also cause delays in processing times.

 

For matters not relating to the Freedom of Information Act 1982, your
email will not be actioned by the FOI Section. As a matter of guidance,
please refer to the information below to assist in the resolution of your
enquiry.

 

General information regarding travelling to Australia

Information for visitors to Australia can be found [1]here.

Information regarding potential visa options can be found [2]here.

 

Queries regarding a current visa application

If your inquiry relates to a specific visa application case, you should
direct your enquiry to the appropriate case officer or processing centre. 
The FOI Section is not the appropriate contact point for your enquiry.

You can use your application ID in ImmiAccount to search and view your
application before it has been decided. Alternatively, you may wish to
contact your nearest Australian Immigration office outside of Australia.
Contact information can be found at
[3]http://www.border.gov.au/about/contact/o....

Request for a copy of your Visa Refusal or Visa Grant letter

If you have lost or misplaced correspondence regarding your Visa Refusal
or Visa Grant, or you wish to confirm the authenticity of your Visa
Refusal or Visa Grant, you should contact the office where you lodged your
visa application. 

Details of our offices located around the world can be found [4]here.

 

Queries regarding your current Visa status

You can check your visa details and conditions on the Department’s Visa
Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) portal.  If you do not have the
necessary reference numbers to access the VEVO portal, please refer to the
online VEVO Request for Reference Number form, which is accessible at
[5]https://www.border.gov.au/about/corporat....

 

Refund of Visa fees

If you are seeking a refund of fees associated with your Visa, you should
contact the office where you lodged your visa application.  Details of our
offices located around the world can be found [6]here.

 

Making a Visa application

Registered migration agents are authorised to provide immigration advice
or assistance, including advice regarding the lodgement of visa
applications. Further information on migration agents may be found
[7]here.  Please note that the Department is unable to assist you in this
regard.

 

If you are experiencing technical difficulties in lodging your visa
application through ImmiAccount, you should submit your concerns through
the ImmiAccount Technical Support Form, which is accessible [8]here.

 

Australian Citizenship

If you are seeking evidence of your Australian Citizenship, you should
complete Form 119, which can be found [9]here.  Details on where to send
your completed form may be found on page 8 of the Form.  This form will
not be actioned by the FOI Section.

 

Information on how to apply for Australian citizenship, information for
Australian citizens and Australian Citizenship Day can be found [10]here.

 

Movement Records/Travel History

If you are seeking evidence of your own travel movements/history you
should complete Form 1359, which can be found [11]here. Details on where
to send your request may be found on page 1 and 2 of the Form. This
request will not be actioned by the FOI Section.

 

Superannuation – Evidence of Immigration Status

If you are seeking evidence of your own immigration status for
superannuation purposes, you should complete Form 1194, which can be found
[12]here. Details on where to send your completed form may be found on
page 1 of the Form. This request will not be actioned by the FOI Section.

 

Update Passport Details

Information on how to update your address or passport details can be found
[13]here.

 

Notification of Change in Circumstances

If you have lodged a visa application and your circumstances have changed,
you should submit [14]Form 1022 to the office where you lodged your visa
application. Details of our offices located around the world can be found
[15]here. The FOI Section does not process these forms. 

 

Notification of incorrect answers

If you wish to correct answers that you have provided to the Department
either:

·        in a visa application

·        on a passenger card or

·        in response to a notice given to you by the Department inviting
you to comment on possible non-compliance with an obligation to correct
incorrect information

you should submit [16]Form 1023 to the Department. Details of our offices
located around the world can be found [17]here. The FOI Section does not
process these forms. 

 

Duty Free concessions

Information relating to duty free concessions can be found [18]here.

 

General Enquiries

If you have a question, which has not been answered above, and which is
about visa, citizenship, travel or trade, including bringing goods in and
out of Australia, please refer to our general enquiries web form [19]here.

 

 

Yours Sincerely

FOI Helpdesk

Freedom of Information Section

Department of Immigration and Border Protection

Information updated 21 June 2017

Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by
the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received
this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and
attachments immediately.  This email, including attachments, may contain
confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.
 

Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information
by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. 
DIBP respects your privacy and has obligations under the Privacy Act 1988.
 

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this
email.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visi
2. http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1
3. http://www.border.gov.au/about/contact/o...
4. http://www.border.gov.au/about/contact/o...
5. https://www.border.gov.au/about/corporat...
6. http://www.border.gov.au/about/contact/o...
7. https://www.mara.gov.au/
8. https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa/Immi...
9. http://www.border.gov.au/Forms/Documents...
10. http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Citi
11. http://www.border.gov.au/FormsAndDocumen...
12. http://www.border.gov.au/Forms/Documents...
13. http://www.border.gov.au/Lega/Lega/Form/...
14. http://www.border.gov.au/Forms/Documents...
15. http://www.border.gov.au/about/contact/o...
16. http://www.border.gov.au/Forms/Documents...
17. http://www.border.gov.au/about/contact/o...
18. http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Ente/Duty-...
19. http://www.border.gov.au/about/contact/m...

UNCLASSIFIED

Good morning Mr Gothe-Snape

 

I refer to your request received on 8 August 2017 for access to documents
held by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982.  You have requested access to:

 

the budgets, menus, expenses, invoices, receipts, credit card statements
and reimbursements for the most expensive event attended by a Minister or
Assistant Minister in your Department's portfolio area in 2016-17.

 

The Department may not be responsible for the costs associated with all
“events” attended by the Minister or Assistant Minister, and as such, does
not hold all information which would then enable us to identify “the most
expensive event attended by the Minister or Assistant Minister”.  Other
records regarding Official Hospitality for the Minister and/or Assistant
Minister would be held by the Department of Finance or the Independent
Parliamentary Expenses Authority (IPEA) .

 

As you may be aware, the Department of Finance has published information
from 2008-2009 financial year on its website regarding parliamentarian’s
work expenses.  This information can be found here:
[1]http://www.finance.gov.au/publications/p...

 

Having considered that information, if you wish to proceed with this
request, may we suggest that the scope of your request be amended as
follows:

Any budgets, menus, expenses, invoices, receipts, credit card statements
and reimbursements held by the Department for the most expensive event
paid for by the Department which was attended by either the Minister for
Immigration and Border Protection or the Assistant Minister for
Immigration and Border Protection during the 2016-17 financial year.

 

If you wish to proceed with this revised scope, please confirm by COB
Friday 18 August 2017.  The Department will then consider what documents
it may hold that would fall within the scope of your request.

 

With kind regards

Freedom of Information Section

FOI, Privacy and Records Management Branch

Corporate Division

Department of Immigration and Border Protection

 

E: [email address]

 

UNCLASSIFIED

 

show quoted sections

Jackson Gothe-Snape

Hello,

Thanks for the email.

Are you able to add a qualification to the request:

Can you please provide the budgets, menus, expenses, invoices, receipts, credit card statements and reimbursements for the event attended by the Minister or Assistant Minister that was most expensive in 2016-17 according Departmental records.

Yours sincerely,

Jackson Gothe-Snape

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Your email has been received by the Department of Immigration and Border
Protection’s Freedom of Information (FOI) Section. Please note that we
will only action and respond to FOI requests and other matters relating to
the Freedom of Information Act 1982.

 

If your email is a valid FOI request, the Department will contact you
shortly to acknowledge your request.

 

For matters not relating to the Freedom of Information Act 1982, your
email will not be actioned by the FOI Section. As a matter of guidance,
please refer to the information below to assist in the resolution of your
enquiry.

 

General information regarding travelling to Australia

Information for visitors to Australia can be found [1]here.

Information regarding potential visa options can be found [2]here.

 

Queries regarding a current visa application

If your inquiry relates to a specific visa application case, you should
direct your enquiry to the appropriate case officer or processing centre. 
The FOI Section is not the appropriate contact point for your enquiry.

You can use your application ID in ImmiAccount to search and view your
application before it has been decided. Alternatively, you may wish to
contact your nearest Australian Immigration office outside of Australia.
Contact information can be found at
[3]http://www.border.gov.au/about/contact/o....

Request for a copy of your Visa Refusal or Visa Grant letter

If you have lost or misplaced correspondence regarding your Visa Refusal
or Visa Grant, or you wish to confirm the authenticity of your Visa
Refusal or Visa Grant, you should contact the office where you lodged your
visa application. 

Details of our offices located around the world can be found [4]here.

 

Queries regarding your current Visa status

You can check your visa details and conditions on the Department’s Visa
Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) portal.  If you do not have the
necessary reference numbers to access the VEVO portal, please refer to the
online VEVO Request for Reference Number form, which is accessible at
[5]https://www.border.gov.au/about/corporat....

 

Refund of Visa fees

If you are seeking a refund of fees associated with your Visa, you should
contact the office where you lodged your visa application.  Details of our
offices located around the world can be found [6]here.

 

Making a Visa application

Registered migration agents are authorised to provide immigration advice
or assistance, including advice regarding the lodgement of visa
applications. Further information on migration agents may be found
[7]here.  Please note that the Department is unable to assist you in this
regard.

 

If you are experiencing technical difficulties in lodging your visa
application through ImmiAccount, you should submit your concerns through
the ImmiAccount Technical Support Form, which is accessible [8]here.

 

Australian Citizenship

If you are seeking evidence of your Australian Citizenship, you should
complete Form 119, which can be found [9]here.  Details on where to send
your completed form may be found on page 8 of the Form.  This form will
not be actioned by the FOI Section.

 

Information on how to apply for Australian citizenship, information for
Australian citizens and Australian Citizenship Day can be found [10]here.

 

Movement Records/Travel History

If you are seeking evidence of your own travel movements/history you
should complete Form 1359, which can be found [11]here. Details on where
to send your request may be found on page 1 and 2 of the Form. This
request will not be actioned by the FOI Section.

 

Superannuation – Evidence of Immigration Status

If you are seeking evidence of your own immigration status for
superannuation purposes, you should complete Form 1194, which can be found
[12]here. Details on where to send your completed form may be found on
page 1 of the Form. This request will not be actioned by the FOI Section.

 

Update Passport Details

Information on how to update your address or passport details can be found
[13]here.

 

Notification of Change in Circumstances

If you have lodged a visa application and your circumstances have changed,
you should submit [14]Form 1022 to the office where you lodged your visa
application. Details of our offices located around the world can be found
[15]here. The FOI Section does not process these forms. 

 

Notification of incorrect answers

If you wish to correct answers that you have provided to the Department
either:

·         in a visa application

·         on a passenger card or

·         in response to a notice given to you by the Department inviting
you to comment on possible non-compliance with an obligation to correct
incorrect information

you should submit [16]Form 1023 to the Department. Details of our offices
located around the world can be found [17]here. The FOI Section does not
process these forms. 

 

Duty Free concessions

Information relating to duty free concessions can be found [18]here.

 

General Enquiries

If you have a question, which has not been answered above, and which is
about visa, citizenship, travel or trade, including bringing goods in and
out of Australia, please refer to our general enquiries web form [19]here.

 

 

Yours Sincerely

FOI Helpdesk

Freedom of Information Section

Department of Immigration and Border Protection

Information updated 11 August 2017

Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by
the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received
this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and
attachments immediately.  This email, including attachments, may contain
confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.
 

Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information
by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. 
DIBP respects your privacy and has obligations under the Privacy Act 1988.
 

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this
email.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visi
2. http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1
3. http://www.border.gov.au/about/contact/o...
4. http://www.border.gov.au/about/contact/o...
5. https://www.border.gov.au/about/corporat...
6. http://www.border.gov.au/about/contact/o...
7. https://www.mara.gov.au/
8. https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa/Immi...
9. http://www.border.gov.au/Forms/Documents...
10. http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Citi
11. http://www.border.gov.au/FormsAndDocumen...
12. http://www.border.gov.au/Forms/Documents...
13. http://www.border.gov.au/Lega/Lega/Form/...
14. http://www.border.gov.au/Forms/Documents...
15. http://www.border.gov.au/about/contact/o...
16. http://www.border.gov.au/Forms/Documents...
17. http://www.border.gov.au/about/contact/o...
18. http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Ente/Duty-...
19. http://www.border.gov.au/about/contact/m...