2 September 2022
Tharun Thatikonda
BY EMAIL: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
In reply please quote:
FOI Request: FA 22/07/00457
File Number: OBJ2022/18617
Dear Tharun Thatikonda
I refer to your request dated 11 July 2022 in which you have sought access to documents held by
the Department of Home Affairs (the Department) under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the
FOI Act).
You have requested access to:
Original Scope:
1) I request to release incoming ministers briefing documents handed to:
a) The Hon Andrew Giles MP Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs.
b) The Hon Clare O'Neil MP Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Cyber Security.
2) Plans, reports, emails, notes of discussions, or meeting agenda department hold
regarding skill select invitation rounds for 2022-23 financial year.
Revised scope provided on 8 August 2022
Plans, reports, emails, notes of discussions, or meeting agenda department hold regarding
skill select invitation rounds for 2022-23 financial year.
This letter is to notify you that a preliminary assessment has been made that you are liable to pay a
charge in respect of the processing of your Freedom of Information (FOI) request.
In accordance with section 29 of the FOI Act and the
Freedom of Information (Charges) Regulations
1982 (the Regulations), my preliminary assessment of the amount of charges you are liable to pay
is $75.00.
Preliminary assessment of charges
I have assessed the work the Department would need to do to process your request and have
calculated the following breakdown of charges.
[Correspondent Name]
6 Chan Street Belconnen ACT 2617
PO Box 25 Belconnen ACT 2616 • Email:xxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx • Fax: 02 6225 6970 • www.homeaffairs.gov.au
Timeframe for your response and next steps
The FOI Act provides you with 30 days to respond, in writing, to this notice, which is Saturday,
1 October 2022. However, as this date falls on a non-working day, section 36(2) of the
Acts
Interpretation Act 1901 provides that the latest date you may respond is the next working day, which
is
Tuesday, 4 October 2022 (noting that Monday, 3 October 2022 is a public holiday)
By this date you
must do one of the following:
• agree to pay the charge;
• contend that the charge has been wrongly assessed; or should be reduced or not
imposed; and explain your reasons; or
• you may withdraw your request.
Once you have paid, please advise the FOI Section at xxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx immediately to avoid
delays in the processing of your request.
Please note that if you do not provide a written response within the
30 day timeframe your request
wil be taken to have been withdrawn (by you) under section 29(2) of the Act.
Contesting charges
If you seek to contend the assessment of charges the Department may make a decision on whether
a charge should be reduced or not imposed and
must take into account:
• whether payment of the charge, or part of it, would cause you financial hardship
• whether giving access to the documents is in the general public interest or in the
interest of a substantial section of the public
This is not an exhaustive list and the Department may consider any other relevant matters. Please
set out your reasons and evidence in support of your reasons as clearly as possible. If you believe
that payment of the charge would cause you financial hardship, please provide sufficient details of
your financial circumstances to enable the decision maker to make a well informed decision.
Payment Options
To indicate your agreement to pay the charge you are required to pay the deposit, or pay the
charge in full.
The Department has a number of payment options available, including an online payment facility
for credit/debit cards; automated telephone payment system and BPay. You may also pay the
charge by cheque or money order.
Electronic funds transfer/credit card payment
If you wish to pay the charges using a credit card, the online payment facility, telephone payment
system or BPay, please refer to the tax invoice attached which wil include full details of how the
payment can be made.
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Payment by cheque/money order
If you wish to pay by cheque or money order, please make the cheque/money order payable to
‘
Collector of Public Monies Home Affairs’; and send via post to:
Freedom of Information Section
Department of Home Affairs
PO Box 25 Belconnen ACT 2616
If the Department fails to make a decision on your request within the statutory time limit, the
payment wil be refunded.
Processing period suspended
The period for processing your request is suspended from the day that you are deemed to have
been ‘notified’ of the charge and resumes on:
• the day you pay the charge in full or the required deposit; or
• the day on which this agency makes a decision not to impose a charge.
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.
Contact
If you have any enquiries concerning this matter, please contact the FOI Section at
xxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx.
Yours sincerely
[Signed electronically]
Vythees
Position Number: 60141911
FOI Officer | Freedom of Information Section
FOI and Records Management Branch
Data Division | Strategy and Law Enforcement Group
Department of Home Affairs
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