OFFICIAL

 

FOI Request: LEX 12771

  

Dear Justice4All

  

Thank you for your email dated 22 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 requested, received, drafted or obtained by DFAT including
briefings, emails, or cables to/from ministers since January 2024,
concerning Australia's obligations under the Convention on the Prevention
and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide Convention, related to Gaza.

 

Documents are limited to all document from January 2024 onwards

 

I consider all (draft) versions of these documents relevant. I also
consider the name of all departmental employees and employees of the
ministers office including their positions and roles relevant to this
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.  

  

Timeframe for receiving our decision:  

We received your request on 22 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 Monday 22 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  

  

Jonathan | DFAT FOI Team

_____________________________________________________
Assistant Director | 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.

 

show quoted sections

OFFICIAL

 

FOI Reference: LEX 12771

 

Dear Justice4All

 

We are writing to you to seek your agreement to providing the department
with an extension of 30 calendar days to process your FOI request (section
15AA of the FOI Act). This would mean that a decision would become due to
you by Tuesday 21 October 2025. 

 

Background 

 

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.  

 

Please note that if you consent, the department is required to notify the
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) of the extension,
in accordance with our reporting obligations.

 

Timeframe 

 

We would be grateful if you could please reply to our request by 17.00
Friday 19 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 

 

Jonathan | DFAT FOI Team

_____________________________________________________
Assistant Director | 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.

From: FOI
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2025 10:04 AM
To: justice4all <[FOI #13535 email]>
Subject: Your FOI Request - Acknowledgement (LEX 12771) [SEC=OFFICIAL]

 

OFFICIAL

 

FOI Request: LEX 12771

  

Dear Justice4All

  

Thank you for your email dated 22 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 requested, received, drafted or obtained by DFAT including
briefings, emails, or cables to/from ministers since January 2024,
concerning Australia's obligations under the Convention on the Prevention
and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide Convention, related to Gaza.

 

Documents are limited to all document from January 2024 onwards

 

I consider all (draft) versions of these documents relevant. I also
consider the name of all departmental employees and employees of the
ministers office including their positions and roles relevant to this
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.  

  

Timeframe for receiving our decision:  

We received your request on 22 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 Monday 22 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  

  

Jonathan | DFAT FOI Team

_____________________________________________________
Assistant Director | 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.

 

show quoted sections