Coal export to Israel
Dear Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade,
Any documents that relate to coal exports from the Newcastle Coal Export Facility (Newcastle Port) to Israel. The date range for this request is 01 January 2020 to the present.
I also consider all versions/drafts of these documents as relevant to this request.
Yours faithfully,
A
OFFICIAL
FOI Request: LEX 12738
Dear Anonymous
Thank you for your email dated 14 August 2025 seeking access to documents
under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).
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:
Any documents that relate to coal exports from the Newcastle Coal Export
Facility (Newcastle Port) to Israel. The date range for this request is 01
January 2020 to the present.
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.
Timeframe for receiving our decision:
We received your request on 14 August 2025, 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 15 September 2025. The period of 30
days may be extended in certain circumstances.
Charges:
Please note that the department may issue charges for processing FOI
requests. If applicable, we will advise you of any relevant charges when
we are in a position to estimate the resources required to process your
request.
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
Freedom of Information Section
Public Interest Law Branch | Regulatory and Legal Policy Division
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
[4]dfat.gov.au | [5]X | [6]Facebook | [7]Instagram | [8]LinkedIn
© Brooke Rigney-Lively (2024)
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia,
and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our
respects to all First Nations peoples, their cultures and to their Elders,
past, present and emerging.
This email and any attachments may contain confidential information or
legal advice over which legal professional privilege can be claimed. Such
privilege is not waived and you should ensure that, in your handling of
the advice, you avoid waiving privilege. Please consult the author of the
advice if unsure about appropriate handling.
-----Original Message-----
From: A <[FOI #13491 email]>
Sent: Thursday, 14 August 2025 7:54 PM
To: FOI <[DFAT request email]>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Freedom of Information request - Coal export to Israel
CAUTION: This email originated from outside the organisation. Do not click
links or open attachments unless you recognise the sender.
Dear Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade,
Any documents that relate to coal exports from the Newcastle Coal Export
Facility (Newcastle Port) to Israel. The date range for this request is 01
January 2020 to the present.
I also consider all versions/drafts of these documents as relevant to this
request.
Yours faithfully,
A
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #13491 email]
Is [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:
https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
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:
https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.
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. https://www.dfat.gov.au/about-us/corpora...
2. mailto:[DFAT request email]
3. https://www.dfat.gov.au/about-us/corpora...
4. https://www.dfat.gov.au/
https://www.dfat.gov.au/
5. https://x.com/dfat
https://x.com/DFAT
6. https://www.facebook.com/dfat.gov.au/
https://www.facebook.com/dfat.gov.au/
7. https://www.instagram.com/dfat/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/dfat/?hl=en
8. https://au.linkedin.com/company/departme...
https://au.linkedin.com/company/departme...
OFFICIAL
FOI Reference: LEX 12738
Dear Anonymous
We are writing to you to seek your agreement to providing the department
with an extension of 15 calendar days to process your FOI request in
accordance with section 15AA of the FOI Act. This would mean that a
decision would then be due to you by 30 September 2025.
Background
The department has experienced delays processing documents potentially
relevant to the scope of your request due to the extensive consultation
required with different parts of the department.
The additional time will enable the department to finalise its processes
and provide you with an outcome.
Please be assured that we will continue to process your request as quickly
as possible and will provide an outcome to you as soon as it is
available.
Timeframe
We would be grateful if you could please reply to our request by COB
Monday 8 September 2025.
If we do not hear from you, we may apply to the Office of the Australian
Information Commissioner for an extension to the statutory timeframe.
Should you have any questions, please to contact us by reply email.
Kind regards
Freedom of Information Section
Public Interest Law Branch | Regulatory and Legal Policy Division
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
[1]dfat.gov.au | [2]X | [3]Facebook | [4]Instagram | [5]LinkedIn
© Brooke Rigney-Lively (2024)
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia,
and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our
respects to all First Nations peoples, their cultures and to their Elders,
past, present and emerging.
This email and any attachments may contain confidential information or
legal advice over which legal professional privilege can be claimed. Such
privilege is not waived and you should ensure that, in your handling of
the advice, you avoid waiving privilege. Please consult the author of the
advice if unsure about appropriate handling.
From: FOI
Sent: Monday, 18 August 2025 2:35 PM
To: A <[FOI #13491 email]>
Subject: Your FOI Request - Acknowledgement (LEX 12738) [SEC=OFFICIAL]
OFFICIAL
FOI Request: LEX 12738
Dear Anonymous
Thank you for your email dated 14 August 2025 seeking access to documents
under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).
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:
Any documents that relate to coal exports from the Newcastle Coal Export
Facility (Newcastle Port) to Israel. The date range for this request is 01
January 2020 to the present.
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.
Timeframe for receiving our decision:
We received your request on 14 August 2025, 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 15 September 2025. The period of 30
days may be extended in certain circumstances.
Charges:
Please note that the department may issue charges for processing FOI
requests. If applicable, we will advise you of any relevant charges when
we are in a position to estimate the resources required to process your
request.
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 [6]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 [7][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 [8]privacy policy.
Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to
contact us by reply email.
Kind regards
Freedom of Information Section
Public Interest Law Branch | Regulatory and Legal Policy Division
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
[9]dfat.gov.au | [10]X | [11]Facebook | [12]Instagram | [13]LinkedIn
© Brooke Rigney-Lively (2024)
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia,
and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our
respects to all First Nations peoples, their cultures and to their Elders,
past, present and emerging.
This email and any attachments may contain confidential information or
legal advice over which legal professional privilege can be claimed. Such
privilege is not waived and you should ensure that, in your handling of
the advice, you avoid waiving privilege. Please consult the author of the
advice if unsure about appropriate handling.
-----Original Message-----
From: A <[FOI #13491 email]>
Sent: Thursday, 14 August 2025 7:54 PM
To: FOI <[DFAT request email]>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Freedom of Information request - Coal export to Israel
CAUTION: This email originated from outside the organisation. Do not click
links or open attachments unless you recognise the sender.
Dear Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade,
Any documents that relate to coal exports from the Newcastle Coal Export
Facility (Newcastle Port) to Israel. The date range for this request is 01
January 2020 to the present.
I also consider all versions/drafts of these documents as relevant to this
request.
Yours faithfully,
A
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #13491 email]
Is [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:
https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
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:
https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.
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. https://www.dfat.gov.au/
https://www.dfat.gov.au/
2. https://x.com/dfat
https://x.com/DFAT
3. https://www.facebook.com/dfat.gov.au/
https://www.facebook.com/dfat.gov.au/
4. https://www.instagram.com/dfat/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/dfat/?hl=en
5. https://au.linkedin.com/company/departme...
https://au.linkedin.com/company/departme...
6. https://www.dfat.gov.au/about-us/corpora...
7. mailto:[DFAT request email]
8. https://www.dfat.gov.au/about-us/corpora...
9. https://www.dfat.gov.au/
https://www.dfat.gov.au/
10. https://x.com/dfat
https://x.com/DFAT
11. https://www.facebook.com/dfat.gov.au/
https://www.facebook.com/dfat.gov.au/
12. https://www.instagram.com/dfat/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/dfat/?hl=en
13. https://au.linkedin.com/company/departme...
https://au.linkedin.com/company/departme...
Dear FOI,
Re: https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/c...
Yes, that extension request to 30 September is fine. Sorry for the delay in replying, I’ve been away.
Yours sincerely,
A
OFFICIAL
FOI Request: LEX 12738
Dear Anonymous
I refer to your request to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
(the department) for access to documents under the Freedom of Information
Act 1982 (the FOI Act).
I am writing to let you know that the department’s examination of the
documents relevant to your request has determined that consultations are
required as provided for in section 27A of the FOI Act, as the documents
contain personal information relating to other persons.
The other persons may contend that the disclosure of their personal would
be an unreasonable disclosure of personal information, as defined in
section 47F of the FOI Act.
To allow the other person a reasonable opportunity to consider whether to
contend that their personal information should be exempt from disclosure,
the statutory 30-day time limit for processing your request is extended by
another 30 days, as provided for in section 15(6) of the FOI Act.
Accordingly, a decision will now be due to you by 29 October 2025.
While consultation with persons whose personal information appears in the
documents is required by the FOI Act, this does not confer a right of veto
on the release of this information or the documents as a whole. The
decision remains that of the department’s decision-maker, who must have
regard to any submissions put forward by the persons concerned.
Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to
contact us by reply email.
Freedom of Information Section
Public Interest Law Branch | Regulatory and Legal Policy Division
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
[1]dfat.gov.au | [2]X | [3]Facebook | [4]Instagram | [5]LinkedIn
© Brooke Rigney-Lively (2024)
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia,
and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our
respects to all First Nations peoples, their cultures and to their Elders,
past, present and emerging.
This email and any attachments may contain confidential information or
legal advice over which legal professional privilege can be claimed. Such
privilege is not waived and you should ensure that, in your handling of
the advice, you avoid waiving privilege. Please consult the author of the
advice if unsure about appropriate handling.
-----Original Message-----
From: A <[FOI #13491 email]>
Sent: Wednesday, 10 September 2025 2:04 AM
To: FOI <[DFAT request email]>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: Your FOI request – Request for additional time
(LEX 12738) [SEC=OFFICIAL]
CAUTION: This email originated from outside the organisation. Do not click
links or open attachments unless you recognise the sender.
Dear FOI,
Re:
https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
Yes, that extension request to 30 September is fine. Sorry for the delay
in replying, I’ve been away.
Yours sincerely,
A
-----Original Message-----
OFFICIAL
FOI Reference: LEX 12738
Dear Anonymous
We are writing to you to seek your agreement to providing the department
with an extension of 15 calendar days to process your FOI request in
accordance with section 15AA of the FOI Act. This would mean that a
decision would then be due to you by 30 September 2025.
Background
The department has experienced delays processing documents potentially
relevant to the scope of your request due to the extensive consultation
required with different parts of the department.
The additional time will enable the department to finalise its processes
and provide you with an outcome.
Please be assured that we will continue to process your request as quickly
as possible and will provide an outcome to you as soon as it is
available.
Timeframe
We would be grateful if you could please reply to our request by COB
Monday 8 September 2025.
If we do not hear from you, we may apply to the Office of the Australian
Information Commissioner for an extension to the statutory timeframe.
Should you have any questions, please to contact us by reply email.
Kind regards
Freedom of Information Section
Public Interest Law Branch | Regulatory and Legal Policy Division
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
[1]dfat.gov.au | [2]X | [3]Facebook | [4]Instagram | [5]LinkedIn
© Brooke Rigney-Lively (2024)
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia,
and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our
respects to all First Nations peoples, their cultures and to their Elders,
past, present and emerging.
This email and any attachments may contain confidential information or
legal advice over which legal professional privilege can be claimed. Such
privilege is not waived and you should ensure that, in your handling of
the advice, you avoid waiving privilege. Please consult the author of the
advice if unsure about appropriate handling.
From: FOI
Sent: Monday, 18 August 2025 2:35 PM
To: A <[FOI #13491 email]>
Subject: Your FOI Request - Acknowledgement (LEX 12738) [SEC=OFFICIAL]
OFFICIAL
FOI Request: LEX 12738
Dear Anonymous
Thank you for your email dated 14 August 2025 seeking access to documents
under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).
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:
Any documents that relate to coal exports from the Newcastle Coal Export
Facility (Newcastle Port) to Israel. The date range for this request is 01
January 2020 to the present.
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.
Timeframe for receiving our decision:
We received your request on 14 August 2025, 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 15 September 2025. The period of 30
days may be extended in certain circumstances.
Charges:
Please note that the department may issue charges for processing FOI
requests. If applicable, we will advise you of any relevant charges when
we are in a position to estimate the resources required to process your
request.
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 [6]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 [7][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 [8]privacy policy.
Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to
contact us by reply email.
Kind regards
Freedom of Information Section
Public Interest Law Branch | Regulatory and Legal Policy Division
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
[9]dfat.gov.au | [10]X | [11]Facebook | [12]Instagram | [13]LinkedIn
© Brooke Rigney-Lively (2024)
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia,
and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our
respects to all First Nations peoples, their cultures and to their Elders,
past, present and emerging.
This email and any attachments may contain confidential information or
legal advice over which legal professional privilege can be claimed. Such
privilege is not waived and you should ensure that, in your handling of
the advice, you avoid waiving privilege. Please consult the author of the
advice if unsure about appropriate handling.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #13491 email]
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:
https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.
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. https://www.dfat.gov.au/
https://www.dfat.gov.au/
2. https://x.com/dfat
https://x.com/DFAT
3. https://www.facebook.com/dfat.gov.au/
https://www.facebook.com/dfat.gov.au/
4. https://www.instagram.com/dfat/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/dfat/?hl=en
5. https://au.linkedin.com/company/departme...
https://au.linkedin.com/company/departme...
OFFICIAL
FOI Reference: LEX 12738
Dear Applicant
We are writing to you to seek your agreement to providing the department
with an extension of 7 calendar days to process your FOI request in
accordance with section 15AA of the FOI Act. This would mean that a
decision would then be due to you by 5 November 2025.
Background
We are close to finalising a decision on your request but are experiencing
delays this week due to staff shortages.
The additional time will enable the department to finalise its processes
and provide you with an outcome. If an extension is not granted, the
decision will be deemed refused after 29 October 2025, and we would like
to avoid that outcome.
Please be assured that we will continue to process your request as quickly
as possible and will provide an outcome to you as soon as it is
available.
Timeframe
We would be grateful if you could please reply to our request by COB 28
October 2025.
If we do not hear from you, we may apply to the Office of the Australian
Information Commissioner for an extension to the statutory timeframe.
Should you have any questions, please to contact us by reply email.
Kind regards
Freedom of Information Section
Public Interest Law Branch | Regulatory and Legal Policy Division
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
[1]dfat.gov.au | [2]X | [3]Facebook | [4]Instagram | [5]LinkedIn
© Brooke Rigney-Lively (2024)
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia,
and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our
respects to all First Nations peoples, their cultures and to their Elders,
past, present and emerging.
This email and any attachments may contain confidential information or
legal advice over which legal professional privilege can be claimed. Such
privilege is not waived and you should ensure that, in your handling of
the advice, you avoid waiving privilege. Please consult the author of the
advice if unsure about appropriate handling.
From: FOI
Sent: Thursday, 25 September 2025 8:57 AM
To: A <[FOI #13491 email]>
Subject: Your FOI Request – Notice of third party consultation (LEX 12738)
[SEC=OFFICIAL]
OFFICIAL
FOI Request: LEX 12738
Dear Anonymous
I refer to your request to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
(the department) for access to documents under the Freedom of Information
Act 1982 (the FOI Act).
I am writing to let you know that the department’s examination of the
documents relevant to your request has determined that consultations are
required as provided for in section 27A of the FOI Act, as the documents
contain personal information relating to other persons.
The other persons may contend that the disclosure of their personal would
be an unreasonable disclosure of personal information, as defined in
section 47F of the FOI Act.
To allow the other person a reasonable opportunity to consider whether to
contend that their personal information should be exempt from disclosure,
the statutory 30-day time limit for processing your request is extended by
another 30 days, as provided for in section 15(6) of the FOI Act.
Accordingly, a decision will now be due to you by 29 October 2025.
While consultation with persons whose personal information appears in the
documents is required by the FOI Act, this does not confer a right of veto
on the release of this information or the documents as a whole. The
decision remains that of the department’s decision-maker, who must have
regard to any submissions put forward by the persons concerned.
Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to
contact us by reply email.
Freedom of Information Section
Public Interest Law Branch | Regulatory and Legal Policy Division
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
[6]dfat.gov.au | [7]X | [8]Facebook | [9]Instagram | [10]LinkedIn
© Brooke Rigney-Lively (2024)
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia,
and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our
respects to all First Nations peoples, their cultures and to their Elders,
past, present and emerging.
This email and any attachments may contain confidential information or
legal advice over which legal professional privilege can be claimed. Such
privilege is not waived and you should ensure that, in your handling of
the advice, you avoid waiving privilege. Please consult the author of the
advice if unsure about appropriate handling.
-----Original Message-----
From: A <[FOI #13491 email]>
Sent: Wednesday, 10 September 2025 2:04 AM
To: FOI <[DFAT request email]>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: Your FOI request – Request for additional time
(LEX 12738) [SEC=OFFICIAL]
CAUTION: This email originated from outside the organisation. Do not click
links or open attachments unless you recognise the sender.
Dear FOI,
Re:
https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
Yes, that extension request to 30 September is fine. Sorry for the delay
in replying, I’ve been away.
Yours sincerely,
A
-----Original Message-----
OFFICIAL
FOI Reference: LEX 12738
Dear Anonymous
We are writing to you to seek your agreement to providing the department
with an extension of 15 calendar days to process your FOI request in
accordance with section 15AA of the FOI Act. This would mean that a
decision would then be due to you by 30 September 2025.
Background
The department has experienced delays processing documents potentially
relevant to the scope of your request due to the extensive consultation
required with different parts of the department.
The additional time will enable the department to finalise its processes
and provide you with an outcome.
Please be assured that we will continue to process your request as quickly
as possible and will provide an outcome to you as soon as it is
available.
Timeframe
We would be grateful if you could please reply to our request by COB
Monday 8 September 2025.
If we do not hear from you, we may apply to the Office of the Australian
Information Commissioner for an extension to the statutory timeframe.
Should you have any questions, please to contact us by reply email.
Kind regards
Freedom of Information Section
Public Interest Law Branch | Regulatory and Legal Policy Division
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
[1]dfat.gov.au | [2]X | [3]Facebook | [4]Instagram | [5]LinkedIn
© Brooke Rigney-Lively (2024)
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia,
and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our
respects to all First Nations peoples, their cultures and to their Elders,
past, present and emerging.
This email and any attachments may contain confidential information or
legal advice over which legal professional privilege can be claimed. Such
privilege is not waived and you should ensure that, in your handling of
the advice, you avoid waiving privilege. Please consult the author of the
advice if unsure about appropriate handling.
From: FOI
Sent: Monday, 18 August 2025 2:35 PM
To: A <[FOI #13491 email]>
Subject: Your FOI Request - Acknowledgement (LEX 12738) [SEC=OFFICIAL]
OFFICIAL
FOI Request: LEX 12738
Dear Anonymous
Thank you for your email dated 14 August 2025 seeking access to documents
under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).
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:
Any documents that relate to coal exports from the Newcastle Coal Export
Facility (Newcastle Port) to Israel. The date range for this request is 01
January 2020 to the present.
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.
Timeframe for receiving our decision:
We received your request on 14 August 2025, 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 15 September 2025. The period of 30
days may be extended in certain circumstances.
Charges:
Please note that the department may issue charges for processing FOI
requests. If applicable, we will advise you of any relevant charges when
we are in a position to estimate the resources required to process your
request.
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 [6]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 [7][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 [8]privacy policy.
Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to
contact us by reply email.
Kind regards
Freedom of Information Section
Public Interest Law Branch | Regulatory and Legal Policy Division
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
[9]dfat.gov.au | [10]X | [11]Facebook | [12]Instagram | [13]LinkedIn
© Brooke Rigney-Lively (2024)
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia,
and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our
respects to all First Nations peoples, their cultures and to their Elders,
past, present and emerging.
This email and any attachments may contain confidential information or
legal advice over which legal professional privilege can be claimed. Such
privilege is not waived and you should ensure that, in your handling of
the advice, you avoid waiving privilege. Please consult the author of the
advice if unsure about appropriate handling.
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Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #13491 email]
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:
https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.
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.
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References
Visible links
1. https://www.dfat.gov.au/
https://www.dfat.gov.au/
2. https://x.com/dfat
https://x.com/DFAT
3. https://www.facebook.com/dfat.gov.au/
https://www.facebook.com/dfat.gov.au/
4. https://www.instagram.com/dfat/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/dfat/?hl=en
5. https://au.linkedin.com/company/departme...
https://au.linkedin.com/company/departme...
6. https://www.dfat.gov.au/
https://www.dfat.gov.au/
7. https://x.com/dfat
https://x.com/DFAT
8. https://www.facebook.com/dfat.gov.au/
https://www.facebook.com/dfat.gov.au/
9. https://www.instagram.com/dfat/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/dfat/?hl=en
10. https://au.linkedin.com/company/departme...
https://au.linkedin.com/company/departme...
Dear FOI,
A response to this request is long overdue: at this date, by more than 60 working days. Most requests should be answered within 30 working days. I am however happy to extend the deadline to 5 November.
Yours sincerely,
A