Illumination of Parliament House
Dear Department of Parliamentary Services,
I am looking for the following document related to the Australian Governments decision to illuminate Parliament House in blue and white. Specifically, the illumination as referred to in the Joint Statement by the Presiding Officers found in this link: https://www.aph.gov.au/News_and_Events/J...
What I am looking for is:
- Any and all documents including, but not limited to, meeting minutes, correspondence, talking points and file notes that relate to the decision to illuminate the Australian Parliament House.
- Any and all documents that relate to the costs associated with the illumination of the Australian Parliament House in blue and white
- Any and all documents that including communications or correspondence with a foreign government, foreign or domestic organisations, foreign or domestic individuals either requesting, encouraging or suggesting that the Australian Parliament House be illuminated in blue and white.
Yours faithfully,
Moe
OFFICIAL
Dear Moe
Thank you for contacting DPS Information Requests. Please accept this email as confirmation your request has been received by the team.
The DPS Information Requests Policy can be found at:
https://www.aph.gov.au/About+AF8-Parliam...
Kind regards,
DPS Information Requests
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
Dear Moe
We refer to your email requesting the release of documents relating to the
decision to illuminate Australian
Parliament House (APH) on 9 October 2023.
As noted under DPS Information Requests Policy (Policy), all parliamentary
departments are excluded from the
application of the FOI Act. However, DPS recognises the importance of
transparency and public accountability, and
supports the principle that administrative documents should be open to
scrutiny. DPS will consequently provide
access to documents subject to any claim of appropriate immunity or
exemptions that would apply under the FOI
Act or the Policy.
The decision-maker has considered your request and determined as below:
o Any and all documents including, but not limited to, meeting minutes,
correspondence, talking points and file
notes that relate to the decision to illuminate the Australian Parliament
House.
The decision maker has considered this category of your request and is
satisfied that the documents fall under Group
2 under clauses 17(b)(iv) and (v) of the Policy and will therefore not be
released.
o Any and all documents that relate to the costs associated with the
illumination of the Australian Parliament
House in blue and white
The decision maker has considered this category of your request and is
satisfied that the documents fall under Group
3 under clauses 17 (c)(i) and (iv) of the Policy and will therefore not be
released. The authorised decision maker has
exercised their absolute discretion under the Policy to not grant access
to the documents.
o Any and all documents that including communications or correspondence
with a foreign government, foreign
or domestic organisations, foreign or domestic individuals either
requesting, encouraging or suggesting that
the Australian Parliament House be illuminated in blue and white
DPS is not in possession of any documents as described.
Regards
DPS Information Requests
OFFICIAL
Dear DPS Information Requests (DPS),
Thank you for your response.
Are you able to provide me details of:
Group 2 under clauses 17(b)(iv) and (v) of the Policy
Group 3 under clauses 17 (c)(i) and (iv) of the Policy
Is it also possible to get an internal review?
Yours sincerely,
Moe
OFFICIAL
Dear Moe
Thank you for your email.
Four documents were identified in our searches as relating to or falling
within the scope of your request.
The documents were considered by the decision-maker as falling the
categories listed below, as set out in the Policy which can be downloaded
by clicking the link below:
[1]https://www.aph.gov.au/-/media/05_About_...
Group 2
Clause 17(b)(iv) states that documents which fall into the following
category are not to be released:
internal deliberative documents, including advice provided to the
Presiding Officers by DPS employees, contractors, and office holders.
One of the four documents were identified as falling within the
description of an internal deliberative document.
Clause 17(b)(v) states that documents which fall into the following
category are not to be released:
documents that DPS does not have authority to release (e.g. where
Presiding Officer approval would be required prior to release).
One of the four documents were identified as falling within the
description of a document that the Department of Parliamentary Services
does not have authority to release.
Group 3
Clause 17(c)(i) states that DPS may in its absolute discretion, determine
that access can be granted to documents which fall into the following
categories:
documents relating to the financial or property interests of the
Commonwealth.
The decision maker has determined that access should not be granted to one
of the four documents as it relates to the financial interests of the
Commonwealth.
Clause 17(c)(iv) states that DPS may in its absolute discretion, determine
that access can be granted to documents which fall into the following
categories:
documents that if disclosed under this policy would disclose information
concerning a person in respect of his or her business or professional
affairs or concerning the business, commercial or financial affairs of an
organisation or undertaking.
The decision maker has determined that access should not be granted to one
of the four documents as doing so would disclose information concerning a
person’s business affairs.
Given the above, please confirm if you would still like to apply for
internal review of the decision.
Regards
DPS Information Requests
OFFICIAL