Chris Kenny on Nauru - DFAT

Jason Wilson made this Freedom of Information request to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

This request has been closed to new correspondence from the public body. Contact us if you think it ought be re-opened.

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade did not have the information requested.

Dear FOI coordinator,

I would like to make two requests for copies of all correspondence generated between 1 January and 23 October, 2015, including but not limited to emails, letters, briefings and phone transcripts. The requests are as follows:

1) Correspondence between the Minister for Foreign Affairs and/or any representative of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and:

- Mr Chris Kenny, associate editor of The Australian newspaper;
- Any staff member or representative of The Australian newspaper;
- Any staff member or representative of News Corp Australia;
- Any member or representative of the government of the state of Nauru;
- Any employee or representative of Transfield Services;
- Any employee or representative of Mercer PR.

Regarding:

- The case of the refugee known in the media as "Abyan" who was transferred to Australia in October, 2015, for a termination of her pregnancy; and
- Provision or procurement of an appropriate visa for a visit by Mr Kenny or any other journalist from The Australian to Nauru.

2) Correspondence between the Minister for Foreign Affairs and/or any representative of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and:

- Any other Australian government minister or representative of any other Australian government department.

Regarding:

- Provision or procurement of an appropriate visa for a visit by Mr Kenny or any other journalist from The Australian to Nauru.

Yours sincerely,
Jason Wilson

Cheung, Ada, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Our Ref:  1510-F1290

 

Dear Mr Wilson

 

Re: Freedom of Information (FOI) Request

 

Thank you for your email below in which you seek access under the Freedom
of Information Act 1982 to:

 

1) Correspondence between the Minister for Foreign Affairs and/or any
representative of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and:

- Mr Chris Kenny, associate editor of The Australian newspaper;
- Any staff member or representative of The Australian newspaper;
- Any staff member or representative of News Corp Australia;
- Any member or representative of the government of the state of Nauru;
- Any employee or representative of Transfield Services;
- Any employee or representative of Mercer PR.

Regarding:

- The case of the refugee known in the media as "Abyan" who was
transferred to Australia in October, 2015, for a termination of her
pregnancy; and
- Provision or procurement of an appropriate visa for a visit by Mr Kenny
or any other journalist from The Australian to Nauru.

2) Correspondence between the Minister for Foreign Affairs and/or any
representative of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and:

- Any other Australian government minister or representative of any other
Australian government department.

Regarding:

- Provision or procurement of an appropriate visa for a visit by Mr Kenny
or any other journalist from The Australian to Nauru.

 

Searches are now being undertaken in relevant areas of the Department for
documents relevant to your request.  I will contact you again once the
searches have been completed.

 

Timeframe for receiving your decision:

We received your request on 23 October and the 30 day statutory period for
processing your request commenced from the day after that date.  You
should therefore expect a decision from us by 23 November.  The period of
30 days may be extended in certain circumstances.  We will advise you if
there is any extension of time.

 

Scope of request:

If it emerges that the scope of your request is unclear or is too large
for processing, the Department will contact you to discuss re-scoping the
request.

 

Exclusion of officials’ names and contact details:

It is the Department’s policy to withhold the mobile numbers of all
government officials, and the names and contact details of government
officials not in the Senior Executive Service (SES).  If you require the
mobile numbers of all government officials, or the names and contact
details of non-SES officials, please let us know at [1][DFAT request email] so
the decision-maker may consider; otherwise we will take it that you agree
to that information being excluded from the scope of your request.

 

Charges:

Please note that the Department issues charges for processing FOI
requests.  We will advise you of these charges when we are in a position
to estimate the resources required to process your request.

 

Timing of release:

As the subject matter of your request will require DFAT to upload any
documents released to you to the Department’s FOI Disclosure Log, I take
this opportunity to advise you that the Department’s policy is to upload
documents to the disclosure log on the same day as the documents are
released to you. 

 

Personal Information:

Your personal information has been collected by the Department as a result
of your correspondence, and will be used in order to process your FOI
request.  Your personal information is protected by law, including the
Privacy Act 1988.  The Department’s privacy policy is available at
[2]dfat.gov.au/privacy.html and contains information about access to or
correction of your personal information, and how you may complain about a
breach of your privacy.

 

Please note that if we need to consult with other people regarding release
of the documents you have requested, we may need to disclose your personal
information. When we consult with other people about a request you have
made, it may be apparent to those people that you have made a request,
even if we do not disclose your identity. If you have concerns about the
Department consulting with other people about your request, please let us
know your concerns.

 

Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to
contact me on (02) 6261 3470, or by return email.

 

Please note a copy of this email has been sent to Marie-Charlotte McKenna,
Director, Freedom of Information and Privacy Law Section, for her
information.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Ada Cheung | |
| |  |
|Assistant Director | |
|Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|Freedom of Information & Privacy Law Section|     E |  | |
| |[3][email address]| |
|--------------------------------------------+---------------------------|
|Corporate Legal Branch |     T |  +61 2 6261 3470 |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|Legal Division |W |  [4]www.dfat.gov.au|  |
|---------------------------------------------+-----------------------+--|
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+

 

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Jason Wilson [mailto:[FOI #1326 email]]
Sent: Friday, 23 October 2015 8:33 AM
To: FOI
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Chris Kenny on Nauru - DFAT

 

Dear FOI coordinator,

 

I would like to make two requests for copies of all correspondence
generated between 1 January and 23 October, 2015, including but not
limited to emails, letters, briefings and phone transcripts. The requests
are as follows:

 

1) Correspondence between the Minister for Foreign Affairs and/or any
representative of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and:

 

- Mr Chris Kenny, associate editor of The Australian newspaper;

- Any staff member or representative of The Australian newspaper;

- Any staff member or representative of News Corp Australia;

- Any member or representative of the government of the state of Nauru;

- Any employee or representative of Transfield Services;

- Any employee or representative of Mercer PR.

 

Regarding:

 

- The case of the refugee known in the media as "Abyan" who was
transferred to Australia in October, 2015, for a termination of her
pregnancy; and

- Provision or procurement of an appropriate visa for a visit by Mr Kenny
or any other journalist from The Australian to Nauru.

 

2) Correspondence between the Minister for Foreign Affairs and/or any
representative of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and:

 

- Any other Australian government minister or representative of any other
Australian government department.

 

Regarding:

 

- Provision or procurement of an appropriate visa for a visit by Mr Kenny
or any other journalist from The Australian to Nauru.

 

Yours sincerely,

Jason Wilson

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[5][FOI #1326 email]

 

Is [6][DFAT request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information
requests to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade? If so, please contact
us using this form:

[7]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...

 

This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This
message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet.
More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:

[8]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...

 

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[DFAT request email]
2. http://dfat.gov.au/privacy.html
3. mailto:[email address]
4. http://www.dfat.gov.au/
5. mailto:[FOI #1326 email]
6. mailto:[DFAT request email]
7. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...
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hide quoted sections

Dear Ms Cheung,

Thank you for your attention to this request.

I look forward to receiving the requested materials.

Yours sincerely,

Jason Wilson

FOI, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

1 Attachment

FOI Ref: 1510-F1290

File No: 15/45082

 

 

Dear Mr Wilson

 

With reference to your FOI request, attached please find a letter advising
you of the outcome.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Jennifer Streat

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

_____________________________________________________________________________

 

Freedom of Information and Privacy Law Section        E:
[email address]

Corporate Legal
Branch                                                      T: +61 2 6261
1142

Legal
Division                                                                      
W: [1]www.dfat.gov.au

 

 

From: Cheung, Ada
Sent: Friday, 23 October 2015 11:19 AM
To: Jason Wilson
Cc: Mckenna, Marie-Charlotte
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - Chris Kenny on Nauru - DFAT
[SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

 

Our Ref:  1510-F1290

 

Dear Mr Wilson

 

Re: Freedom of Information (FOI) Request

 

Thank you for your email below in which you seek access under the Freedom
of Information Act 1982 to:

 

1) Correspondence between the Minister for Foreign Affairs and/or any
representative of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and:

- Mr Chris Kenny, associate editor of The Australian newspaper;
- Any staff member or representative of The Australian newspaper;
- Any staff member or representative of News Corp Australia;
- Any member or representative of the government of the state of Nauru;
- Any employee or representative of Transfield Services;
- Any employee or representative of Mercer PR.

Regarding:

- The case of the refugee known in the media as "Abyan" who was
transferred to Australia in October, 2015, for a termination of her
pregnancy; and
- Provision or procurement of an appropriate visa for a visit by Mr Kenny
or any other journalist from The Australian to Nauru.

2) Correspondence between the Minister for Foreign Affairs and/or any
representative of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and:

- Any other Australian government minister or representative of any other
Australian government department.

Regarding:

- Provision or procurement of an appropriate visa for a visit by Mr Kenny
or any other journalist from The Australian to Nauru.

 

Searches are now being undertaken in relevant areas of the Department for
documents relevant to your request.  I will contact you again once the
searches have been completed.

 

Timeframe for receiving your decision:

We received your request on 23 October and the 30 day statutory period for
processing your request commenced from the day after that date.  You
should therefore expect a decision from us by 23 November.  The period of
30 days may be extended in certain circumstances.  We will advise you if
there is any extension of time.

 

Scope of request:

If it emerges that the scope of your request is unclear or is too large
for processing, the Department will contact you to discuss re-scoping the
request.

 

Exclusion of officials’ names and contact details:

It is the Department’s policy to withhold the mobile numbers of all
government officials, and the names and contact details of government
officials not in the Senior Executive Service (SES).  If you require the
mobile numbers of all government officials, or the names and contact
details of non-SES officials, please let us know at [2][DFAT request email] so
the decision-maker may consider; otherwise we will take it that you agree
to that information being excluded from the scope of your request.

 

Charges:

Please note that the Department issues charges for processing FOI
requests.  We will advise you of these charges when we are in a position
to estimate the resources required to process your request.

 

Timing of release:

As the subject matter of your request will require DFAT to upload any
documents released to you to the Department’s FOI Disclosure Log, I take
this opportunity to advise you that the Department’s policy is to upload
documents to the disclosure log on the same day as the documents are
released to you. 

 

Personal Information:

Your personal information has been collected by the Department as a result
of your correspondence, and will be used in order to process your FOI
request.  Your personal information is protected by law, including the
Privacy Act 1988.  The Department’s privacy policy is available at
[3]dfat.gov.au/privacy.html and contains information about access to or
correction of your personal information, and how you may complain about a
breach of your privacy.

 

Please note that if we need to consult with other people regarding release
of the documents you have requested, we may need to disclose your personal
information. When we consult with other people about a request you have
made, it may be apparent to those people that you have made a request,
even if we do not disclose your identity. If you have concerns about the
Department consulting with other people about your request, please let us
know your concerns.

 

Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to
contact me on (02) 6261 3470, or by return email.

 

Please note a copy of this email has been sent to Marie-Charlotte McKenna,
Director, Freedom of Information and Privacy Law Section, for her
information.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Ada Cheung
 
Assistant Director
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Freedom of Information & Privacy Law      E |   
Section [4][email address]
Corporate Legal Branch      T |  +61 2 6261 3470
Legal Division W |  [5]www.dfat.gov.au  

 

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Jason Wilson
[6][mailto:[FOI #1326 email]]
Sent: Friday, 23 October 2015 8:33 AM
To: FOI
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Chris Kenny on Nauru - DFAT

 

Dear FOI coordinator,

 

I would like to make two requests for copies of all correspondence
generated between 1 January and 23 October, 2015, including but not
limited to emails, letters, briefings and phone transcripts. The requests
are as follows:

 

1) Correspondence between the Minister for Foreign Affairs and/or any
representative of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and:

 

- Mr Chris Kenny, associate editor of The Australian newspaper;

- Any staff member or representative of The Australian newspaper;

- Any staff member or representative of News Corp Australia;

- Any member or representative of the government of the state of Nauru;

- Any employee or representative of Transfield Services;

- Any employee or representative of Mercer PR.

 

Regarding:

 

- The case of the refugee known in the media as "Abyan" who was
transferred to Australia in October, 2015, for a termination of her
pregnancy; and

- Provision or procurement of an appropriate visa for a visit by Mr Kenny
or any other journalist from The Australian to Nauru.

 

2) Correspondence between the Minister for Foreign Affairs and/or any
representative of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and:

 

- Any other Australian government minister or representative of any other
Australian government department.

 

Regarding:

 

- Provision or procurement of an appropriate visa for a visit by Mr Kenny
or any other journalist from The Australian to Nauru.

 

Yours sincerely,

Jason Wilson

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[7][FOI #1326 email]

 

Is [8][DFAT request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information
requests to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade? If so, please contact
us using this form:

[9]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...

 

This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This
message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet.
More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:

[10]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...

 

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. http://www.dfat.gov.au/
2. mailto:[DFAT request email]
3. http://dfat.gov.au/privacy.html
4. mailto:[email address]
5. http://www.dfat.gov.au/
6. mailto:[mailto:[FOI #1326 email]]
7. mailto:[FOI #1326 email]
8. mailto:[DFAT request email]
9. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...
10. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...

hide quoted sections

Dear Ms Cheung,

Thank you for your prompt attention to this request, and the information you provided in response to it.

Yours sincerely,

Jason Wilson