Dear Department of Home Affairs,

Under the FOI Act, I request a list of all Ministers sworn in to administer the Migration Act 1958 since 22 May 2022 with the date and period of each appointment. If a document does not already exist in this form, I request that a document containing this information is created by the Department under section 17 of the FOI Act.

I am not seeking access to the publicly available Ministry List or Administrative Arrangements Order (available on pmc website) but rather seeking a list of which Ministers have been sworn in to make decisions under the Migration Act since 22 May 2022.

Yours faithfully,

BE

FOI, Department of Home Affairs

** This is an automated response. Please do not reply to this email **

 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

 

Your email has been received by the Department of Home Affairs Freedom of
Information (FOI) Section.

 

The FOI section only responds to valid FOI requests and other matters
relating to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act).  Visit the
FOI Information on our Website for more information on what [1]information
can be accessed under the FOI Act 1982.

 

What is a valid FOI request?

 

A valid FOI request may be for:

- documents you previously provided to the Department as part of a visa
application

- a copy of a decision record made by the Department

- statistical information held by the Department

- papers or briefings the Department prepared.

 

If your email is a valid FOI request, the Department will contact you
shortly to acknowledge your request.

 

A valid FOI request must:

o Be in writing and state the request is for consideration under the FOI
Act.
o Have enough information for us to be able to identify the documents
you are seeking.
o Provide a physical or electronic address where we can send our
decision.

 

Do not send duplicate emails as this may cause longer delays in processing
times.

 

What is an invalid FOI request?

 

Invalid FOI requests may include:

- Making a visa application

- Seeking evidence of your Australian Citizenship

- Seeking information about traveling to or departing Australia.

 

If your email is not specific an FOI request or FOI related matter, the
FOI section will not respond.

 

What happens next?

Once we receive and have registered your FOI request, we will send you an
acknowledgment letter by email. Read the acknowledgment letter carefully
for further instructions.

 

FOI requests are generally processed in the order they are received.

 

We will contact you as soon as the Department has assessed your request
under the FOI Act.

 

We’re responding to a large volume of requests

Due to the current high volume of requests, we will not provide progress
up-dates on current FOI requests.  This is to ensure we are able to
process as many requests as possible, including yours.

 

If processing your request is going to take us a lot of time and because
it is large or unspecific, it may be refused.  

 

Still have a question or request?

If you still have a question, which has not been answered above, and which
is about the work of the Department, use our general enquiries web page

[2]https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-sup...

 

You may be able to resolve your enquiry faster using these other resources

 

We only action and respond to FOI requests that are valid under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982. You may be able to resolve your enquiry
faster by using these resources:

 

General information about travelling to Australia:

 

The Department of Home Affairs, “Entering Australia” site
[3]https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/entering...

 

·       For visa and our requirements for entry to Australia
[4]https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/ge...

For a copy of your visa refusal or visa grant letter you should contact
the office where you lodged your visa application. 

·       To check your current visa details and conditions use the
Department’s Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) portal which can
be accessed [5]here

·       If you are experiencing technical difficulties in lodging your
visa application through ImmiAccount, submit your concerns through the
ImmiAccount Technical Support Form, which is accessible [6]here.

·       For evidence of your Australian Citizenship please refer [7]here.
The FOI Section does not process these requests.

·       For movement records or travel history complete the online
International Movement Records form [8]here. The FOI Section does not
process these requests.

·       To update your details, including your Passport details, you can
notify the Department [9]here. The FOI Section does not process these
requests.

 

 

We appreciate your feedback         

We appreciate your feedback to help improve our services.

 

If you would like to provide feedback to us please use our Compliments,
complaints and suggestions form.
[10]https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-and-...

 

 

Thank you

Information updated 11 January 2022

 

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References

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FOI, Department of Home Affairs

OFFICIAL: Sensitive
Personal-Privacy

In reply please quote:
FOI Request: FA 22/08/00840
File Number: OBJ2022/22183

Dear BE,

Acknowledgement of Freedom of Information Access request
This letter acknowledges we received your request on 16 August 2022 to access documents held by the Department of Home Affairs (the Department) under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act). This letter also provides important information about your request.

Scope of request
You have requested access to the following:

Under the FOI Act, I request a list of all Ministers sworn in to administer the Migration Act 1958 since 22 May 2022 with the date and period of each appointment. If a document does not already exist in this form, I request that a document containing this information is created by the Department under section 17 of the FOI Act.

I am not seeking access to the publicly available Ministry List or Administrative Arrangements Order (available on pmc website) but rather seeking a list of which Ministers have been sworn in to make decisions under the Migration Act since 22 May 2022.
Your request was received by the Department on 16 August 2022 and has been allocated FOI request number FA 22/08/00840. Please include your FOI request number in all correspondence with the Freedom of Information Section.

Timeframe for receiving your decision
The statutory timeframe for processing a request is 30 days from the date upon which your application was received by the Department.

Your review rights in relation to your request are available on the website of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

Fees and Charges
Charges do not apply to requests from individuals seeking access to documents about themselves. However, a charge may apply to all other requests for access to documents.
Charges are based on the amount of time the Department spends on your request. Charges can range from $10 to over $1,000 depending on the complexity and scope of your request. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner reported that across the public service, the average charge notified was $335.50 in 2020-21.
If a charge applies, you will be issued with a Notice of Charge that explains the charge and your options.
Detailed information about FOI charges that may apply to your FOI request is available on the Department’s website.

We do not provide personal details of staff
The Department’s practice is to exclude the personal details of staff not in the Senior Executive Service (SES), as well as the direct contact details of SES staff, contained in documents that fall within scope of an FOI request. If you require personal details of non-SES officers, or direct contact details of SES staff, please inform us so the decision maker may consider your request. Otherwise we will take it that you agree to that information being excluded from the scope of your request. However names of staff that have previously been released in departmental correspondence may be disclosed.

We do not provide duplicated documents
If the FOI decision-maker deems a document to be a duplicate, they will not assess those pages as part of your FOI request. This means that if a there is a decision to release the document to you, you will receive only one copy, even if multiple copies of that document exist.

Released documents you request may be published to our website
Where documents are released to you in response to your request, the Department may be required to publish these documents on its website within 10 working days in accordance with section 11C of the FOI Act. Publication will not be required where the documents contain personal or business affairs information.

How to reduce or withdraw your request
Reducing the scope of your request can reduce the time and charges associated with processing your FOI request.
To reduce or withdraw your request, contact the FOI section at [Department of Home Affairs request email] and include your FOI request number.

Kind regards,

FOI Officer - Geoff
Freedom of Information
Department of Home Affairs

E: [Department of Home Affairs request email]

Personal-Privacy
OFFICIAL: Sensitive

-----Original Message-----
From: BE <[FOI #9280 email]>
Sent: 16 August 2022 3:29 PM
To: FOI <[Department of Home Affairs request email]>
Subject: CM: Freedom of Information request - Ministers administering the Migration Act

Dear Department of Home Affairs,

Under the FOI Act, I request a list of all Ministers sworn in to administer the Migration Act 1958 since 22 May 2022 with the date and period of each appointment. If a document does not already exist in this form, I request that a document containing this information is created by the Department under section 17 of the FOI Act.

I am not seeking access to the publicly available Ministry List or Administrative Arrangements Order (available on pmc website) but rather seeking a list of which Ministers have been sworn in to make decisions under the Migration Act since 22 May 2022.

Yours faithfully,

BE

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #9280 email]

Is [Department of Home Affairs request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests to Department of Home Affairs? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...

This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:
https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and attachments immediately. This email, including attachments, may contain confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.

Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. The Department of Home Affairs and ABF respect your privacy and have obligations under the Privacy Act 1988.

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this email.

hide quoted sections

FOI, Department of Home Affairs

OFFICIAL: Sensitive

Dear BE,

 

On 16 August 2022 you submitted a request to access documents held by the
Department of Home Affairs (the Department) under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act). You requested access to the following:

 

Under the FOI Act, I request a list of all Ministers sworn in to
administer the Migration Act 1958 since 22 May 2022 with the date and
period of each appointment. If a document does not already exist in this
form, I request that a document containing this information is created by
the Department under section 17 of the FOI Act.

 

I am not seeking access to the publicly available Ministry List or
Administrative Arrangements Order (available on pmc website) but rather
seeking a list of which Ministers have been sworn in to make decisions
under the Migration Act since 22 May 2022.

 

On 18 August 2022 the Department acknowledged receipt of your request and
allocated the FOI request number FA 22/08/00840. Search and retrieval
activities by the Department have identified the document you are seeking
access to is more closely connected with the functions of the Department
of Prime Minister and Cabinet. On 22 August 2022 the Department
transferred your FOI request to the Department of Prime Minister and
Cabinet under section 16(1)(b) of the FOI Act. They will contact you
shortly about your request.

 

Further information is also available at:

 

[1]Freedom of Information | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
(pmc.gov.au)  and through their email [2][email address].

Kind regards,

 

Karen

Position: 60114871

Freedom of Information

Freedom of Information & Records Management Branch | Data Division

Strategy & Law Enforcement Group

Department of Home Affairs

E: [3][Department of Home Affairs request email]
OFFICIAL: Sensitive

 

 

Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by
the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received
this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and
attachments immediately.  This email, including attachments, may contain
confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.
 

Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information
by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. 
The Department of Home Affairs and ABF respect your privacy and have
obligations under the Privacy Act 1988.  

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this
email.

References

Visible links
1. https://www.pmc.gov.au/who-we-are/accoun...
2. mailto:[email address]
3. mailto:[Department of Home Affairs request email]

2 Attachments

OFFICIAL

Reference: FOI/2022/237

 

Dear BE

 

The purpose of this email is to contact you with respect to your FOI
request and acknowledge that the Department of the Prime Minister and
Cabinet have agreed to process the request following a transfer from the
Department of Home Affairs.  The Department of Home Affairs wrote to you
about this transfer on 22 August 2022.

 

You set out the terms of the request as follows:

 

I request a list of all Ministers sworn in to administer the Migration Act
1958 since 22 May 2022 with the date and period of each appointment. If a
document does not already exist in this form, I request that a document
containing this information is created by the Department under section 17
of the FOI Act.  I am not seeking access to the publicly available
Ministry List or Administrative Arrangements Order (available on pmc
website) but rather seeking a list of which Ministers have been sworn in
to make decisions under the Migration Act since 22 May 2022.

 

Timeframe for receiving your decision

The 30 day statutory period for processing your request commenced from the
day after the Department received your request, you should therefore
expect a decision from us by 15 September 2022.  The processing period of
30 days may be extended in certain circumstances and we will write to you
separately regarding 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][email address].  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.

 

If you consider that the information categorised above is relevant to the
terms of your request please let us know at [3][email address], 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 deleted from any documents for release). 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.

 

Further information on FOI processing can be found at the website of the
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
[4]https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor....

 

Yours sincerely

Leisha

 

 

Coordinator | FOI Section[]

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

p. (02) 6271 5849

Ngunnawal Country | One National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box
6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [5][email address]  w. [6]pmc.gov.au

 

[7]cid:image003.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0 The
Department
acknowledges
and pays
respect to
the past,
present and
emerging
Elders and
Traditional
Custodians
of Country,
and the
continuation
of cultural,
spiritual
and
educational
practices of
Aboriginal
and Torres
Strait
Islander
peoples.

 

 

 

 

 

 

______________________________________________________________________ 
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information 
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or 
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you 
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other 
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you 
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by 
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the 
message from your computer system. 
______________________________________________________________________

References

Visible links
1. https://www.pmc.gov.au/government/depart...
2. mailto:[email address]
3. mailto:[email address]
4. https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor...
5. mailto:[email address]
6. https://www.pmc.gov.au/

4 Attachments

OFFICIAL

Dear Applicant,

 

Please find attached correspondence in relation to your request for access
to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth).

 

Kindest regards,

 

Adviser | FOI Section[]

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

p. (02) 6271 5849

Ngunnawal Country | One National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box
6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [1][email address]  w. [2]pmc.gov.au

 

[3]cid:image001.jpg@01D89219.0A97D530 The
Department
acknowledges
and pays
respect to
the past,
present and
emerging
Elders and
Traditional
Custodians
of Country,
and the
continuation
of cultural,
spiritual
and
educational
practices of
Aboriginal
and Torres
Strait
Islander
peoples.

 

 

 

______________________________________________________________________ 
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information 
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or 
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you 
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other 
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you 
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by 
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the 
message from your computer system. 
______________________________________________________________________

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/