:!:
.� Australian Government
� Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
FOi Reference: LEX2125
File No: 20/15968
7 July 2020
Mr Peter Timmins
By email to: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Dear Mr Timmins
Re. Freedom of Information Request
I refer to your current request for access under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOi Act)
to:
"a copy of the audit report on Australia's engagement in key multilateral institutions
mentioned and SUIJlmarised in the speech by the Minister to the National Security College
on 16 lune".
Preliminary searches for documents relevant
to your request have been completed.
I am an officer authorised under section 23 of the FOi Act to make decisions on the charge for
processing your request. I liave decided that you are liable to pay a charge. Based on the number
of relevant pages, processing time· and time taken by the decision maker (once appointed) to
assess your request (noting that the first five hours are free of charge), our preliminary
assessment of the amount of that charge is
$108.67.
Please note that at this stage in the FOi process, no decision has been made as to whether the
information you seek will be released or exempt under the FOi Act. My decision at this stage
relates only to the processing charges.
Under section 29 of the FOi Act. you_ now have 30 days within which to:
• agree to pay the charge;
• contend that the.charge has been wrongly assessed, or should be reduced or not imposed;
or
• withdraw your request.
Should you agree to pay the charge, the
Freedom of Information (Fees &
Charges) Regulations
requires that you pay a deposit of 25 per cent of the total charge before processing commences.
have calculated the required deposit for your request to be
$27.17.
If you choose to pay only the deposit amount at this stage, you will be required to pay the
remainder of the charge prior to the release of any documents.
Your payment method options are outlined in the attachment.
R G Casey Building John McEwen Cres Barton 0221
DFAT.GOV.AU
T +61 2 62611111
"@DFAT
Contend the Charge
Should you contend that the charge has been wrongly assessed, or should be reduced or not
imposed, you may apply for the Department to waive or reduce the charge. The Department will
take into account whether:
•
the payment of the fee or a part of the fee would cause you financial hardship; and
•
the giving of access to documents relevant to your request is in the general public interest
or in the interest of a substantial section of the public.
A departmental decision-maker will take into account any considerations you put forward, and will
make a decision on whether the charge should be imposed, and in what amount.
Processing period/ Withdrawal
Section 31 of the FOi Act provides that the 30-day processing period to assess your request is put
on hold until we receive your payment of the deposit/payment in full of charges charge, or we
decide not to impose a charge. Should you withdraw your request at this stage, no charge will be
imposed.
If we do not receive your response to this letter within 30 days of its receipt, I will consider that
you no longer wish to continue with your request, and I will deem it withdrawn.
Narrow Scope of Request
Finally, you may elect to narrow the scope of your request, which may reduce the applicable
charge.
Should you have any queries, or wish to discuss revising the terms of your request, please contact
me by email at xxx@xxxx.xxx.xx
Yours sincerely
Lindsay Buckingham
Director
Freedom of Information and Privacy Law Section
