Copy of internal guidance on FOI requests
Dear Australian Federal Police,
Please provide a copy of your internal guidance on assessing whether requested documents are exempt or not under the various FOI Act provisions.
I understand there is a standard document/guide that is sent internally with every FOI request to the teams actually looking for / assessing the documents so that they have some guidance as to what is or isn't exempt
I would like a copy of that document
Apart from non-SES names and contact details, I anticipate it would be released in full
Yours faithfully,
Me
OFFICIAL
Dear Applicant,
YOUR FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST – CRM 2021/565
I refer to your request dated 6 April 2021, seeking access to documents
under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the Act) as follows:
Seeking: A copy of the AFP’S internal guidance on assessing whether
requested documents are exempt or not under the various FOI Act
provisions. Applicant understands there is a standard document/guide that
is sent internally with every FOI request to the teams actually looking
for / assessing the documents so that they have some guidance as to what
is or is not exempt and would like a copy of that document. Apart from
non-SES names and contact details, Applicant anticipates the document
would be released in full.
Timeframe
Your request was received by the AFP on 6 April 2021, and the 30 day
statutory period for processing your request commenced from that date. The
due date for your request is 06 May 2021.
As the AFP focuses its efforts on managing the impact of COVID-19 on its
critical operations, our ability to process requests for information under
the Act may be affected or not delivered within expected timeframes. We
apologise for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience during this
period. Should this occur we will contact you as soon as practicable, and
seek to extend processing timeframes in accordance with the Act.
Information irrelevant to the scope of your request
The AFP, in its management of FOI requests, excludes the following
information on the basis that is irrelevant to the scope of a request:
- duplicate documents, including duplicate emails (the AFP will only
provide emails where they form a final email chain and the
authors/recipients are contained within the final email); and
- information that is publicly available, for example, newspaper
articles, online publications including information available on the AFP
Information Publication Scheme and the AFP disclosure log.
You have consented to exclude the following information from the scope of
the request:
- Names of AFP members, other than the Senior Executive; and
- Direct telephone numbers, middle names of AFP members, signatures
and mobile telephone numbers of AFP members.
Disclosure of your identity
The AFP may be required to consult with third parties in accordance with
sections 26A, 27 and 27A of the Act. Please advise us if you consent to
the AFP identifying you as the FOI applicant for the purposes of the
consultation. If we do not receive your consent, we will not disclose
your identity to third parties.
Information Publication Scheme
Please be advised that effective 1 May 2011 and in accordance with section
8(2) of the Act, an agency is required to publish information on the AFP
website following the notification of a decision in respect of a freedom
of information request. Details of the decision will be published in a
Disclosure Log which can be found at
[1]https://www.afp.gov.au/about-us/informat....
The requirement to publish information released under FOI reinforces the
objectives of the FOI Act to promote a pro-disclosure culture across
government, and to increase recognition that information held by
government is a national resource. Exceptions to the requirement to
publish information would apply to personal information and information
concerning the business affairs of a person if it was considered
‘unreasonable’ to do so.
If however, after noting the above, you wish to raise any concerns about
the publication of information concerning your request prior to the
notification of a decision, please advise the AFP in writing before 06 May
2021.
Yours sincerely
ISABEL (AFP 24268)
PARALEGAL
CHIEF LEGAL COUNSEL
[2]www.afp.gov.au
[3]Australian Federal Police
[4]cid:image002.gif@01D72B96.5E48B130
References
Visible links
1. https://www.afp.gov.au/about-us/informat...
2. http://www.afp.gov.au/
3. http://www.afp.gov.au/
OFFICIAL
Dear Applicant,
Your Freedom of Information Request – 2021/565
I refer to your application dated 06 April 2021, in which you seek access
to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the Act).
Upon consideration of your request, the AFP is of the view that your
request will take longer than 30 days to process. The delay is
regrettable and due to further time being required to complete the
process, assess the documents and notify you of a decision. It will not
be possible to advise you of a decision by 06 April 2021.
Accordingly, pursuant to section 15AA of the Act, I seek your agreement to
extend the period by 30 days to notify you of a decision to 05 June 2021.
I would be grateful if you would advise this office in writing of your
agreement to the proposed extension of time.
If you have any queries in relation to this matter, please do not hesitate
to contact this office.
Yours sincerely,
ISABEL (AFP24268)
PARALEGAL
CHIEF LEGAL COUNSEL
[1]www.afp.gov.au
[2]Australian Federal Police
References
Visible links
1. http://www.afp.gov.au/
2. http://www.afp.gov.au/
OFFICIAL
Dear Applicant,
Your Freedom of Information Request – 2021/565
I refer to your application dated 06 April 2021, in which you seek access
to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the Act).
Upon consideration of your request, the AFP is of the view that your
request will take longer than 30 days to process. The delay is regrettable
and due to further time being required to complete the process, assess the
documents and notify you of a decision. It will not be possible to advise
you of a decision by 06 May 2021.
Accordingly, pursuant to section 15AA of the Act, I seek your agreement to
extend the period by 30 days to notify you of a decision to 05 June 2021.
I would be grateful if you would advise this office in writing of your
agreement to the proposed extension of time.
If you have any queries in relation to this matter, please do not hesitate
to contact this office.
Yours sincerely,
ISABEL (AFP24268)
PARALEGAL
CHIEF LEGAL COUNSEL
[1]www.afp.gov.au
[2]Australian Federal Police
References
Visible links
1. http://www.afp.gov.au/
2. http://www.afp.gov.au/
OFFICIAL
Dear ME
I refer to your request dated 6 April 2021 made under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (the Act) seeking access to documents in the
following terms:
“a copy of [the AFP’s] internal guidance on assessing whether requested
documents are exempt or not under the various FOI Act provisions. I
understand there is a standard document/guide that is sent internally with
every FOI request to the teams actually looking for/assessing the
documents so that they have some guidance as to what is or isn’t exempt. I
would like a copy of that document.”
I have identified there is one document relevant to your request, being a
procedural guide. That document is available in full at
[1]https://www.afp.gov.au/sites/default/fil....
Kind regards
SHELLEY MILLER
DEPUTY GENERAL COUNSEL (COORDINATOR) INFORMATION LAW
CHIEF COUNSEL
[2]www.afp.gov.au
[3]Australian Federal Police
[4]cid:image002.gif@01D74CBC.1664DAF0
References
Visible links
1. https://www.afp.gov.au/sites/default/fil...
2. http://www.afp.gov.au/
3. http://www.afp.gov.au/