Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union Treaty: "diplomatic notes" on entry into force & "full powers" for signature

Currently waiting for a response from Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, they should respond promptly and normally no later than (details).

Dear Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade,

Is it possible to provide the following information/copy of documents about the Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union treaty? https://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/tuvalu/austr...

- diplomatic notes exchanged between Australia and Tuvalu on their completion of "respective requirements" and the entry into force of the treaty?
(This is said in Article 8 paragraph 1, of the treaty)

- "full powers" for both parties to sign the treaty. My question is whether there were any "full powers" from Australia or Tuvalu for signature of this treaty, and if so, is it possible to provide copy of these "full powers"?

(Considering past requests to DFAT, I explain here that "full powers" is standard terminology which refers to a document that a head of state, a head of government, or the foreign minister, authorises someone else to sign or conclude a treaty on the state's behalf. Whether or not the document contains the term "full powers" in its heading for instance is really for the state to decide. Also, this request is about the 'full powers' for "signature" of the treaty by Australia and Tuvalu. It seems that the treaty was signed by the Prime Ministers of both countries, so maybe no "full powers" needed to made, but just in case there were "full powers", is it possible to provide copy of "full powers" from both parties?)

Thank yous!

Yours faithfully,

Tyler

FOI FOI, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

1 Attachment

OFFICIAL

 

Dear Tyler

 

Thank you for your email dated 23 January 2025.

 

This email sets out some information about how your request will be
processed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (the department).

 

Scope of request:

You have sought access to:  

   

… the following documents about the Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union
treaty:

- diplomatic notes exchanged between Australia and Tuvalu on their
completion of "respective requirements" and the entry into force of the
treaty and

- "full powers" for both parties to sign the treaty.

 

Timeframe for receiving our decision:

We received your request on 23 January 2024, and the 30-day statutory
period for processing your request commenced from the day after that date.
A decision is currently due to you by 24 February 2024. The period of 30
days may be extended in certain circumstances. 

 

Disclosure log:

Please note that, with some exceptions (such as personal information),
documents released under the FOI Act may later be published on the
department’s [1]disclosure log.

 

Exclusion of officials’ names and contact details:

It is the department’s policy to withhold the personal information of
junior staff from ministerial offices and government officials not in the
Senior Executive Service (SES) or equivalent, including their email
addresses and contact numbers, together with all signatures, mobile phone
numbers, departmental inboxes and technical transmission details including
reference numbers.

 

Duplicate documents and incomplete email chains:

Your request will be processed on the basis that you did not intend to
capture duplicate documents or duplicate emails within email chains.

 

If you require the excluded information or documents, please let us know
at [2][DFAT request email] so the decision-maker may consider; otherwise, we
will take it that you agree to the information and documents being
excluded from the scope of your request.

 

Personal Information:

If we need to consult with other people or organisations regarding your
FOI request, we may need to disclose your personal information (e.g. your
name). When we consult it may be apparent that you have made a request,
even if we do not disclose your identity. Please let us know if you have
any concerns in this regard. Further information on the way the department
handles personal information is accessible via our [3]privacy policy.

 

Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to
contact us by reply email.

 

Kind Regards

 

 

show quoted sections

FOI FOI, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

1 Attachment

OFFICIAL

 

Dear Tyler

 

Thank you for your email dated 23 January 2025.

 

This email sets out some information about how your request will be
processed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (the department).

 

Scope of request:

You have sought access to:  

   

… the following documents about the Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union
treaty:

- diplomatic notes exchanged between Australia and Tuvalu on their
completion of "respective requirements" and the entry into force of the
treaty and

- "full powers" for both parties to sign the treaty.

 

Timeframe for receiving our decision:

We received your request on 23 January 2024, and the 30-day statutory
period for processing your request commenced from the day after that date.
A decision is currently due to you by 24 February 2024. The period of 30
days may be extended in certain circumstances. 

 

Disclosure log:

Please note that, with some exceptions (such as personal information),
documents released under the FOI Act may later be published on the
department’s [1]disclosure log.

 

Exclusion of officials’ names and contact details:

It is the department’s policy to withhold the personal information of
junior staff from ministerial offices and government officials not in the
Senior Executive Service (SES) or equivalent, including their email
addresses and contact numbers, together with all signatures, mobile phone
numbers, departmental inboxes and technical transmission details including
reference numbers.

 

Duplicate documents and incomplete email chains:

Your request will be processed on the basis that you did not intend to
capture duplicate documents or duplicate emails within email chains.

 

If you require the excluded information or documents, please let us know
at [2][DFAT request email] so the decision-maker may consider; otherwise, we
will take it that you agree to the information and documents being
excluded from the scope of your request.

 

Personal Information:

If we need to consult with other people or organisations regarding your
FOI request, we may need to disclose your personal information (e.g. your
name). When we consult it may be apparent that you have made a request,
even if we do not disclose your identity. Please let us know if you have
any concerns in this regard. Further information on the way the department
handles personal information is accessible via our [3]privacy policy.

 

Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to
contact us by reply email.

 

Kind Regards

 

 

show quoted sections