13 August 2019
Ms K Hepworth
BY EMAIL: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
In reply please quote:
FOI Request:
FA 19/08/00332
File Number:
ADF2019/24808
Dear Ms Hepworth
Freedom of Information (FOI) request - Access Decision
On 2 August 2019, the Department of Home Affairs (the Department) received a request for
access to documents under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act).
The purpose of this letter is to provide you with a decision on your request for access under the
FOI Act.
1
Scope of request
You have requested access to the following documents:
All documents arising out of FOI request FA 19/05/01346
2
Authority to make decision
I am an officer authorised under section 23 of the FOI Act to make decisions in respect of
requests to access documents or to amend or annotate records.
3
Relevant material
In reaching my decision I referred to the following:
the terms of your request
the documents relevant to the request
the FOI Act
Guidelines published by the Office of the Information Commissioner under section 93A
of the FOI Act (the FOI Guidelines)
advice from Departmental officers with responsibility for matters relating to the
documents to which you sought access
6 Chan Street Belconnen ACT 2617
PO Box 25 Belconnen ACT 2616 Telephone: 02 6264 1111 Fax: 02 6225 6970 www.homeaffairs.gov.au
4
Documents in scope of request
The Department has identified 14 documents as falling within the scope of your request.
These documents were in the possession of the Department on 2 August 2019 when your
request was received.
Attachment A is a schedule which describes the relevant documents and sets out my
decision in relation to each of them.
5
Decision
The decision in relation to the documents in the possession of the Department which fall
within the scope of your request is to release relevant information in 14 documents.
5.1 Section 22 of the FOI Act – irrelevant to request
Section 22 of the FOI Act provides that if giving access to a document would disclose
information that would reasonably be regarded as irrelevant to the request, it is possible for
the Department to prepare an edited copy of the document, modified by deletions, ensuring
that the edited copy would not disclose any information that would reasonably be regarded
as irrelevant to the request.
On 6 August 2019, the Department advised you that its policy is to exclude the personal
details of officers not in the Senior Executive Service (SES), as well as the mobile and work
telephone numbers of SES staff, contained in documents that fall within scope of an FOI
request.
I have therefore decided that parts of documents marked ‘s22(1)(a)(ii)’ would disclose
information that could reasonably be regarded as irrelevant to your request, and have
therefore prepared an edited copy of the documents, with the irrelevant material deleted
pursuant to section 22(1)(a)(ii) of the FOI Act.
The remainder of the documents have been released to you as they are relevant to your
request.
6
Legislation
A copy of the FOI Act is available at https://www.legislation.gov.au/Series/C2004A02562.
If you are unable to access the legislation through this website, please contact our office
for a copy.
7
Your Review Rights
Internal Review
If you disagree with this decision, you have the right to apply for an internal review by the
Department of this decision. Any request for internal review must be provided to the
Department within 30 days of you being notified of the decision. Where possible please
attach reasons why you believe a review of the decision is necessary. The internal review
will be carried out by an officer other than the original decision maker and the Department
must make a review decision within 30 days.
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Applications for review should be sent to:
By email to: xxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
OR
By mail to:
Freedom of Information Section
Department of Home Affairs
PO Box 25
BELCONNEN ACT 2617
Review by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
You may apply directly to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) for
a review of this decision. You must apply in writing within 60 days of this notice. For further
information about review rights and how to submit a request for a review to the OAIC,
please see Fact Sheet 12 "Freedom of information – Your review rights", available online
at https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-information/foi-review-process.
8
Making a Complaint
You may complain to the Australian Information Commissioner about action taken by the
Department in relation to your request.
Your enquiries to the Australian Information Commissioner can be directed to:
Phone 1300 363 992 (local call charge)
Email xxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx
There is no particular form required to make a complaint to the Australian Information
Commissioner. The request should be in writing and should set out the grounds on which
it is considered that the action taken in relation to the request should be investigated and
identify the Department of Home Affairs as the relevant agency.
9
Contacting the FOI Section
Should you wish to discuss this decision, please do not hesitate to contact the FOI Section
at xxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx.
Andrea Carroll
Authorised Decision Maker
Department of Home Affairs
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ATTACHMENT A
SCHEDULE OF DOCUMENTS
REQUEST UNDER FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 1982
FOI request: FA 19/08/00332
No
Date of
No. of Description
.
document pages
Decision on release
1. 17/05/2019
1
Email from FOI applicant
Release in full
FOI request
2. 23/05/2019
1
Email to FOI applicant
Release in full
Acknowledgement FOI request FA
19/05/01346
3. 23/05/2019
2
Email from FOI Section to business area
Release relevant
New FOI request FA 19/05/01346 – seeking
information in full
documents
4. 23/05/2019
1
Email from FOI Section to AS, FOI and
Release relevant
Records Management
information in full
FOR INFORMATION - New FOI request
received by the Department
5. 28/05/2019
2
Email from business area to FOI Section
Release relevant
RE: New FOI Request FA 19/05/01346 –
information in full
Seeking documents
6. 29/05/2019
2
Email to business area
Release relevant
New FOI Request FA 19/05/01346 – Seeking information in full
documents
7. 30/05/2019
2
Email from business area
Release relevant
RE: New FOI Request FA 19/05/01346 –
information in full
Seeking documents
8. 30/05/2019
3
Email correspondence between FOI Section
Release relevant
and business area
information in full
RE: New FOI Request FA 19/05/01346 –
Seeking documents
9. 30/05/2019
3
Email from business area to FOI Section
Release relevant
RE: New FOI Request FA 19/05/01346 –
information in full
Seeking documents
10. 06/06/2019
3
Email from business area to FOI Section
Release relevant
RE: New FOI Request FA 19/05/01346 –
information in full
Seeking documents
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No
Date of
No. of Description
.
document pages
Decision on release
11. 07/06/2019
5
Email from FOI Section to business area
Release relevant
FOI Request FA 19/05/01346
information in full
With attachment: FA190501346 - draft
decision
12. 12/06/2019
7
Email from business area to FOI Section
Release relevant
FW: FOI Request FA 19/05/01346
information in full
With attachment: 2019-06-11_19-01-54-308
13. 12/06/2019
2
Email from FOI Section to AS, FOI and
Release relevant
Records Management; Media Operations, ABF information in full
Media
FOR INFORMATION – FOI Pending Decision
- Katie Hepworth (Crikey.com (via Right to
Know)) FA 19/05/01346
14. 17/06/2019
5
Email from FOI Section to FOI applicant
Release relevant
FOI request FA 19/05/01346
information in full
With attachments: FA190501346-decision
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