FOI Reference: LEX5983
File No: 22/21251
23 September 2022
J H
By email to:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Dear Mr H
Re. Freedom of Information Request
I refer to your current request for access under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act)
to:
the incoming government briefs provided from the Department to its respective Ministers
since 21 May 2022.
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 have decided that you are liable to pay a charge. I note that the department has previously
advised that decisions have been made concerning similar documents to those you are seeking
access to. We have drawn entries on the FOI disclosure log to your attention. As you have
requested the fol owing:
a decision independent to the document and decision you provided me (FOI 3116), particularly with
reference to matters the Department believes is exempt under Division 3 of the Act.
I expect to be provided detailed explanation for redactions made using these exemptions and how
they meet a public interest test.
I have decided that it is reasonable to impose a charge in circumstances where the department is
making a fresh decision. This is consistent with the department’s practice for previous requests
for access.
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
$161.76.
Please note that at this stage in the FOI process, no decision has been made as to whether the
information you seek wil 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
R G Casey Building John McEwen Cres Barton 0221
DFAT.GOV.AU
T +61 2 6261 1111
@DFAT
• 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. I
have calculated the required deposit for your request to be
$40.44. If you choose to pay only the deposit amount at this stage, you wil 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.
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 wil take into account any considerations you put forward, and wil
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 wil 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 wil deem it withdrawn.
Narrow Scope of Request
Final y, 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
Jenna Mercer
A/g Director
Freedom of Information Section
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Please cross out whichever is not applicable:
•
Payment of Charges: Deposit / In Full
•
Payment by: Credit Card / Direct Debit / Cheque or Money Order
For the sum of $_______________ as detailed in the FOI Estimate of Charges letter dated
__________________ (
FOI Ref: LEX5983)
Credit Card
Name
_________________________________
Address
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
I authorise the National Cashier of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to debit my
VISA
MASTER CARD
-
-
- Expiry:
_____/_____
Name appearing on card: _________________________
Signature: _____________________________________
Direct Debit
Account Name:
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
BSB No.:
092-009
Account No.:
110329
Please include your surname and
FOI Ref: LEX5983 in the reference field.
Cheque/Money Order
Make payable to: 'The National Cashier - DFAT'
Send to:
Director, FOI Section
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
R. G. Casey Building
John McEwen Crescent
Barton ACT 0221