Thank you for your email. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
(the Department) is currently on its annual shutdown which extends from
4pm, Tuesday 24 December 2019 to Wednesday, 1 January 2020 (inclusive) . 
The Department will re-open for normal business from Thursday 2 January
2020. This may affect the Department's ability to respond within statutory
timeframes.

Accordingly, we ask for your understanding during this period. If you have
any queries please do not hesitate to contact us from Thursday, 2 January
2020.

FOI Adviser

FOI and Privacy | Legal Policy Branch

Government Division

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

p. +61 2 6271 5849

e. [1][DPMC request email] |

[2]www.dpmc.gov.au

PO Box 6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600

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References

Visible links
1. mailto:[DPMC request email]
2. http://www.dpmc.gov.au/

OFFICIAL

FOI/2019/403

Dear Mr Skinner

Thank you for your email dated 31 December 2019, received by the
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (the Department), in which
you made a request to the Department under the Freedom of Information Act
1982 (the FOI Act) in the following terms:

I refer to the Prime Ministers video message released 31 December 2019 in
relation to bushfires across the country and appearing to be filmed on a
mobile phone in an undisclosed location.

I request the release of the Prime Ministers calendar and location for 31
December 2019 showing any functions attended or hosted and their location
on that day.

For each function or appointment the Prime Minister attended or hosted on
31 December 2019, I request the release of the full list of guests in
attendance including their respective organisation and position held.

For each function the Prime Minister attended or hosted on 31 December
2019 I request documents or emails relating to the following topics to be
made available:

- Decisions on the selection criteria for guests

- All communications to guests in relation to attending functions.

- Any formal invitation documents.

- A summary of expenses and costs associated with hosting, catering for,
and entertaining guests at these functions.

Timeframe for receiving your decision

We received your request on 31 December 2019 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 30 January 2020. The
period of 30 days may be extended in certain circumstances. We will advise
you if there is any extension of time.

Charges

Agencies may decide that an applicant is liable to pay a charge in respect
of a request for access to documents. If the Department decides that you
are liable to pay a charge, we will send you a preliminary assessment of
the charge as soon as possible.

Publication of documents

Please note that information released under the FOI Act may later be
published online on our disclosure log at
[1]https://www.pmc.gov.au/government/depart...,
subject to certain exceptions. If you think you might wish to raise any
objections to the publication of any of the information which may be
released to you please contact us by email at [2][DPMC request email]. If you do
wish to object to the publication of information, you would need to
provide supporting reasons.

Exclusion of officers’ names and contact details

For documents that fall within scope of the request, it is the
Department’s policy to withhold:

·         any person’s signature;

·         the names and contact details of Australian Public Service
officers not in the Senior Executive Service (SES);

·         the mobile or direct numbers of SES officers;

·         the names and contact details of Ministerial staff at a level
below Chief of Staff.

The names and other details of SES officers will not be withheld unless
there is some reason for that information to be exempt from release. If
you require signatures, the names and contact details of non-SES officers
or Ministerial staff below the level of Chief of Staff, or the mobile or
direct numbers of SES officers please let us know at [3][DPMC 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 (that
is, the information will be treated as irrelevant and redacted from any
documents for release).

We will write again when the Department has more information. Further
information on FOI processing can be found at the website of the Office of
the Australian Information Commissioner at [4]https://www.oaic.gov.au/.

Yours sincerely

FOI Adviser

FOI and Privacy Section | Legal Policy Branch

Government Division | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

p. (02) 6271 5849

e. [5][DPMC request email] | w. [6]www.pmc.gov.au

One National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box 6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600

[7]cid:image001.jpg@01D30607.6CF4DA00[8]cid:image002.jpg@01D30607.6CF4DA00[9]cid:image003.jpg@01D30607.6CF4DA00 [10]cid:image004.jpg@01D30607.6CF4DA00

[11]Title: Reconcilation branding and acknowledgment: The Department
acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia
and their continuing connections to the land, waters and community. We pay
respect to their Cultures, Country and Elders both past and present. -
Description: Reconcilation branding and acknowledgment: The Department
acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia
and their continuing connections to the land, waters and community. We pay
respect to their Cultures, Country and Elders both past and present.

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References

Visible links
1. https://www.pmc.gov.au/government/depart...
2. mailto:[DPMC request email]
3. mailto:[DPMC request email]
4. https://www.oaic.gov.au/
5. mailto:[DPMC request email]
6. http://www.pmc.gov.au/
7. https://twitter.com/pmc_gov_au
8. https://www.linkedin.com/company/departm...
9. https://twitter.com/indigenous_gov
10. https://www.facebook.com/indigenous.gov....

OFFICIAL

Dear Mr Skinner

Please find attached the decision in relation to your request.

Regards

FOI Adviser

FOI and Privacy Section | Legal Policy Branch

Government Division | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

p. (02) 6271 5849

e. [1][DPMC request email] | w. [2]www.pmc.gov.au

One National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box 6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600

[3]cid:image001.jpg@01D30607.6CF4DA00[4]cid:image002.jpg@01D30607.6CF4DA00[5]cid:image003.jpg@01D30607.6CF4DA00 [6]cid:image004.jpg@01D30607.6CF4DA00

[7]Title: Reconcilation branding and acknowledgment: The Department
acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia
and their continuing connections to the land, waters and community. We pay
respect to their Cultures, Country and Elders both past and present. -
Description: Reconcilation branding and acknowledgment: The Department
acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia
and their continuing connections to the land, waters and community. We pay
respect to their Cultures, Country and Elders both past and present.

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[DPMC request email]
2. http://www.pmc.gov.au/
3. https://twitter.com/pmc_gov_au
4. https://www.linkedin.com/company/departm...
5. https://twitter.com/indigenous_gov
6. https://www.facebook.com/indigenous.gov....