This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Documents arising out of FOI request FA 19/05/01346'.


 
 
 
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. 

Scope of request 
You have requested access to the following documents: 
All documents arising out of FOI request FA 19/05/01346 

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. 

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 
 
 


 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.   
- 2 – 



 
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.   

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. 

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 
 
- 3 – 


 
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 

Email from FOI applicant 
Release in full 
FOI request 
2.  23/05/2019 

Email to FOI applicant 
Release in full 
Acknowledgement FOI request FA 
19/05/01346 
3.  23/05/2019 

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 

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 

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 

Email to business area 
Release relevant 
New FOI Request FA 19/05/01346 – Seeking  information in full 
documents 
7.  30/05/2019 

Email from business area 
Release relevant 
RE: New FOI Request FA 19/05/01346 – 
information in full 
Seeking documents 
8.  30/05/2019 

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 

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 

Email from business area to FOI Section 
Release relevant 
RE: New FOI Request FA 19/05/01346 – 
information in full 
Seeking documents 
- 4 – 


 
No
Date of 
No. of  Description 

document  pages 
Decision on release 
 
11.  07/06/2019 

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 

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 

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 

Email from FOI Section to FOI applicant 
Release relevant 
FOI request FA 19/05/01346  
information in full 
With attachments: FA190501346-decision 
 
- 5 –