1 December 2021
Hewa
BY EMAIL: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
In reply please quote:
FOI Request: FA 21/10/00375-R1
File Number: OBJ2021/30235
Dear Hewa
Decision on Internal Review – Freedom of Information Act 1982
I  refer to your correspondence dated 3 November 2021 in which you requested that the
Department of Home Affairs (the Department) review its decision on access to documents
dated 3 November 2021 under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act).
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Scope of original request
The scope of your original request for access to documents under the FOI Act was  as
follows:
I would like to know the number of applicants who are to attended citizenship
ceremonies in Brisbane City Council and Ipswich City Council. The requested time
period is from 1 Jan 2021 to 30th September 2021. Please send the total number of
applicants that attended citizenship ceremonies in Brisbane City Council and the
Ipswich city council at the end of each month.
2
Original decision on access dated 3 November 2021
The Department identified one document as falling within the scope of your original request.
•
Number of people who were conferred Australian citizenship at ceremonies
conducted by Brisbane and Ipswich  City Councils QLD, monthly from January 2021
to September 2021 - Freedom of Information Request FA 21/10/00375– 1 page
This document was in the possession of Department on 8 October 2021 when your FOI
request was received.
The original decision maker decided to:
•
release the document in full.

1
Casselden Place 2 Lonsdale Street Melbourne VIC 3001
GPO Box 241 MELBOURNE VIC 3001 • Telephone: 131881 • www.homeaffairs.gov.au

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Request for internal review
On 3 November 2021, you requested the Department review its decision dated 3
November 2021. The terms of your review request were as follows:
In my request I asked for the number of applicants "who are to attend "citizenship
ceremonies in Brisbane City Council and Ipswich City Council from 1 Jan 2021 to
30th September 2021.
In the reply I received the number of people who were conferred at the ceremonies.
Can you please let me know the number of applicants "who are to attend
"citizenship ceremonies in Brisbane City Council and Ipswich City Council from 1
Jan 2021 to 30th September 2021.
On 12 November 2021, you confirmed the scope of your request to be the following:
I am looking for the total number of people who have got their citizenship application
approved, but who have not been invited yet to the citizenship ceremonies as at end
of each month.
I am looking for this information for Brisbane city council and the Ipswich City
Council regions from 1 Jan 2021 to 30th October 2021.
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Scope of review
Based on the terms of your internal review in paragraph 3 above, I consider you are seeking
review of:
•
the Department’s decision that the documents indicated in paragraph 2 above fell
within the scope of the request, and not the documents indicated in your request for
internal review, namely:
… the total number of people who have got their citizenship application
approved, but who have not been invited yet to the citizenship ceremonies as
at end of each month.
I am looking for this information for Brisbane city council and the Ipswich City
Council regions from 1 Jan 2021 to 30th October 2021.
I  consider you have not sought review of the Department’s decision on the [other]
documents it identified as falling within the scope of the request in its original decision.
Accordingly, the Department has not re-assessed these documents as part of this internal
review decision, and wil  not be providing you with another copy of these documents.
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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 departmental records.
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Information considered

In reaching my decision, I have considered the following:
•
the scope of your request

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•
the Department’s original decision of 3 November 2021 and the evidence gathered
for that decision
•
advice from departmental officers with  responsibility for matters relating to  the
information to which you sought access
•
the FOI Act, and
•
the Australian Information Commissioner’s guidelines relating to the interpretation,
operation and administration of the FOI Act (the FOI guidelines).
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Authority to make decision
I am authorised under section 23 the FOI Act to make decisions to release and to refuse
access to exempt documents and to conduct internal reviews.
8
Internal review decision
I  have decided to vary the original decision of  the Department dated 3 November 2021. I
have set aside the decision and replaced it with the following decision:
•
that the document identified as falling within  the scope of the request in the original
decision is outside the scope of the request
•
that the an alternative document is within the scope of the request, and in relation to
that document:
o
to release the document in full.
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Reasons for internal review decision: documents within scope

Whether documents identified as falling within scope are within scope
I  have reviewed the document identified by  the Department as falling within the scope of
the request in the original decision. I have also considered your submissions in requesting
internal review.
I  am satisfied that the document identified as falling within the scope of the request is outside
the scope of the request, as it does not contain information relating to the number of people
whose  citizenship applications have been approved and are awaiting  invitations to
citizenship ceremonies.

Additional searches for documents
I  have determined that further reasonable searches for documents should be undertaken
by  the Department, including searches of  departmental computer systems, to  identify
alternative documents within the scope of the request.
The Department has therefore conducted further reasonable searches to  determine
whether it holds or is able to produce further documents relevant to your request.

Outcomes of searches – documents produced
As a result of these searches, the Department has determined that it holds further
information relevant to the terms of your request on its computer systems, and is able to
produce the following documents from its systems pursuant to section 17 of the FOI Act:

3

•
Number of people who were conferred Australian citizenship at ceremonies
conducted by Brisbane and Ipswich  City Councils QLD, monthly from January 2021
to September 2021 - Freedom of Information Request FA 21/10/00375 - 1 page
The information was held by the Department on 8 October 2021, when the Department
received your request for access.
I  have decided to release the document in full.
10  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.
11  Your review rights
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  https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-information/reviews-and-complaints/information-
commissioner-review/.
12  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.
13  Contact
Should you wish  to discuss my  decision, please do not hesitate to contact via email  at
xxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx.

Jack
Authorised Decision Maker
Department of Home Affairs

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Document Outline