DFAT Overseas Conditions of Service
Dear Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade,
I would like to request the document or documents covering the current DFAT Overseas Conditions of Service, as determined by the Secretary or their delegate.
The Overseas Conditions of Service are referred to in the DFAT Enterprise Agreement 2024 Section 35.
There is a clear public interest in releasing the Overseas Conditions of Service as the cost of fulfilling said conditions is a major public expenditure. The FOI Act clearly outlines the effective oversight of public expenditure as one of the factors favouring disclosure per the public interest test.
I note that the ADF Overseas Conditions of Service, covering similar matters for serving ADF personnel, are publicly available.
Thank you,
A member of the public
OFFICIAL
FOI Request: LEX 12564
Dear Applicant
Thank you for your email dated 20 June 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:
‘…the document or documents covering the current DFAT Overseas Conditions
of Service, as determined by the Secretary or their delegate.
The Overseas Conditions of Service are referred to in the DFAT Enterprise
Agreement 2024 Section 35.’
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 20 June 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 21 July 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
Aaron
OFFICIAL
FOI Reference: LEX 12564
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 28 July 2025.
Background
The department is finalising your request, and we expect to have a
decision for you very soon.
However, the department requests this additional time to complete its
internal FOI processes and provide a decision to you and avoid your
request becoming a ‘deemed access refusal’ under the FOI Act.
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
Thursday 17 July 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
DFAT FOI Team
Dear FOI,
Can you provide a rationale for the extension request? My information request is not complex and will not involve the retrieval of a large number of documents. I note that your internal decision-making time should not be considered as an adminstrative impost for the purposes of the FOI time.
At this stage, I have not agreed to your extension request.
Yours sincerely,
M. Public
Our reference: RQ25/04165
Agency reference: LEX 12564
Agency name Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
By Email: [DFAT request email]
Name M. Public
By Email:
[FOI #13314 email]
Extension of time under s 15AB
Dear Parties,
Please find attached an extension of time decision relating to the above
referenced FOI request.
Regards,
[1][IMG] Andriana DeIeso
Review Adviser
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
GPO Box 5288 Sydney NSW 2001
E [2][email address]
The OAIC acknowledges Traditional Custodians of Country across
Australia and their continuing connection to land, waters and
communities. We pay our respect to First Nations people,
cultures and Elders past and present.
[3]Subscribe to Information Matters
Notice:
The information contained in this email message and any attached files may
be confidential information, and may also be the subject of legal
professional privilege. If you are not the intended recipient any use,
disclosure or copying of this email is unauthorised. If you received this
email in error, please notify the sender by contacting the department's
switchboard on 1300 488 064 during business hours (8:30am - 5pm Canberra
time) and delete all copies of this transmission together with any
attachments.
References
Visible links
1. https://www.oaic.gov.au/
2. mailto:[email address]
3. https://www.oaic.gov.au/engage-with-us/n...
OFFICIAL
FOI Reference: LEX 12564
Dear applicant,
Please find attached a decision relating to your FOI request along with a
document released to you.
Kind regards,
DFAT FOI Team
OFFICIAL
Part 2 of documents attached.
From: FOI
Sent: Monday, 28 July 2025 6:15 PM
To: 'M. Public' <[FOI #13314 email]>
Subject: Your FOI request – Outcome (LEX 12564) [SEC=OFFICIAL]
OFFICIAL
FOI Reference: LEX 12564
Dear applicant,
Please find attached a decision relating to your FOI request along with a
document released to you.
Kind regards,
DFAT FOI Team
OFFICIAL
Part 3 of documents attached.
From: FOI
Sent: Monday, 28 July 2025 6:15 PM
To: 'M. Public' <[FOI #13314 email]>
Subject: Your FOI request – Outcome (LEX 12564) [SEC=OFFICIAL]
OFFICIAL
FOI Reference: LEX 12564
Dear applicant,
Please find attached a decision relating to your FOI request along with a
document released to you.
Kind regards,
DFAT FOI Team