SEDNode User Guide
Ben Fairless made this Freedom of Information request to Australian Federal Police
This request has been closed to new correspondence from the public body. Contact us if you think it ought be re-opened.
Dear Australian Federal Police,
I request access to the most recent document created detailing how to use SEDnode. This would likely be a user guide for SEDnode.
Yours faithfully,
Ben Fairless
Thank you for your email.
Please note that this is an automated response to confirm that your email was sent to the Australian Federal Police FOI inbox.
This FOI inbox is monitored by the information Access Team between 8 am and 4 pm Monday to Friday.
If you wish to lodge a request for access to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), please ensure that your request is in writing, states that it is an application for the purposes of the FOI Act and provides sufficient detail describing the documents you wish to access.
If you are requesting personal information about yourself then please ensure you enclose a copy of your photographic identification.
Further details on how to make a valid FOI request can be found on the Australian Federal Police’s website at: http://www.afp.gov.au/about-the-afp/foi-...
The Australian Federal Police will acknowledge your request in accordance with the legislative requirements of the Act.
Information Access can be contacted on 02 6131 6131
UNCLASSIFIED
Good Afternoon Mr Fairless,
Please refer to the attached correspondence.
Kind Regards
ON BEHALF OF COORDINATOR
INFORMATION ACCESS (FOI),
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
POLICY & GOVERNANCE
[1]cid:image001.gif@01CF7682.837FF1A0
Tel +61(0) 2 61316131 Fax +61(0) 2
61326082
[2]www.afp.gov.au
UNCLASSIFIED
References
Visible links
2. http://www.afp.gov.au/
Dear FOI,
Thanks for your email. There are 2 things I would like to point out:
1 - I make my FOI request in a personal capacity and not on behalf of Right to Know. Please can you ensure this is noted in further correspondence (You wouldn't put "Hotmail" underneath my name if I was sending from hotmail address)
2 - I am interested to understand why you are requesting a 15AA extension considering you are only 4 days into the original 30 day period. Can you give me a call to discuss this? (I've called and left a message for the FOI Officer dealing with this request).
Yours sincerely,
Ben Fairless
Thank you for your email.
Please note that this is an automated response to confirm that your email was sent to the Australian Federal Police FOI inbox.
This FOI inbox is monitored by the information Access Team between 8 am and 4 pm Monday to Friday.
If you wish to lodge a request for access to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), please ensure that your request is in writing, states that it is an application for the purposes of the FOI Act and provides sufficient detail describing the documents you wish to access.
If you are requesting personal information about yourself then please ensure you enclose a copy of your photographic identification.
Further details on how to make a valid FOI request can be found on the Australian Federal Police’s website at: http://www.afp.gov.au/about-the-afp/foi-...
The Australian Federal Police will acknowledge your request in accordance with the legislative requirements of the Act.
Information Access can be contacted on 02 6131 6131
Dear FOI,
I refer to my chat with the AFP today in which you advise that it is standard practice to request an extension for FOI requests.
I'm not comfortable agreeing to an extension at this stage.
Yours sincerely,
Ben Fairless
Thank you for your email.
Please note that this is an automated response to confirm that your email was sent to the Australian Federal Police FOI inbox.
This FOI inbox is monitored by the information Access Team between 8 am and 4 pm Monday to Friday.
If you wish to lodge a request for access to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), please ensure that your request is in writing, states that it is an application for the purposes of the FOI Act and provides sufficient detail describing the documents you wish to access.
If you are requesting personal information about yourself then please ensure you enclose a copy of your photographic identification.
Further details on how to make a valid FOI request can be found on the Australian Federal Police’s website at: http://www.afp.gov.au/about-the-afp/foi-...
The Australian Federal Police will acknowledge your request in accordance with the legislative requirements of the Act.
Information Access can be contacted on 02 6131 6131
Dear FOI,
A response to my FOI request (SEDNode User Guide) is now overdue. Please can you provide a response as soon as possible.
Details of my request can be found here: https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/s...
Yours sincerely,
Ben Fairless
Thank you for your email.
Please note that this is an automated response to confirm that your email was sent to the Australian Federal Police FOI inbox.
This FOI inbox is monitored by the information Access Team between 8 am and 4 pm Monday to Friday.
If you wish to lodge a request for access to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), please ensure that your request is in writing, states that it is an application for the purposes of the FOI Act and provides sufficient detail describing the documents you wish to access.
If you are requesting personal information about yourself then please ensure you enclose a copy of your photographic identification.
Further details on how to make a valid FOI request can be found on the Australian Federal Police’s website at: http://www.afp.gov.au/about-the-afp/foi-...
The Australian Federal Police will acknowledge your request in accordance with the legislative requirements of the Act.
Information Access can be contacted on 02 6131 6131
UNCLASSIFIED
Dear Mr Fairless
The case officer for this matter is not in the office today. Advice regarding your request will be advised on her return.
Apologies for the delay, thank you for your patience in this matter.
Yours sincerely
JACQUELINE ELLERY
TEAM LEADER - INFORMATION ACCESS - GOVERNMENT RELATIONS POLICY & GOVERNANCE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE
Tel +61(0) 2 61312808 Ext 142808
www.afp.gov.au
Dear Ms. Ellery,
Please can you advise further on the status of this request, or when the case officer will return?
Yours sincerely,
Ben Fairless
Thank you for your email.
Please note that this is an automated response to confirm that your email was sent to the Australian Federal Police FOI inbox.
This FOI inbox is monitored by the information Access Team between 8 am and 4 pm Monday to Friday.
If you wish to lodge a request for access to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), please ensure that your request is in writing, states that it is an application for the purposes of the FOI Act and provides sufficient detail describing the documents you wish to access.
If you are requesting personal information about yourself then please ensure you enclose a copy of your photographic identification.
Further details on how to make a valid FOI request can be found on the Australian Federal Police’s website at: http://www.afp.gov.au/about-the-afp/foi-...
The Australian Federal Police will acknowledge your request in accordance with the legislative requirements of the Act.
Information Access can be contacted on 02 6131 6131
UNCLASSIFIED
Our ref:CRM2015/24
Dear Mr Fairless,
Thank you for your email and apologies for the delay in responding.
Unfortunately, as previously advised, this team has experienced a
significant increase in the volume of FOI applications at this time and
with staff movements and the absence of key personnel to assist in the
processing of the requests, decisions have been delayed. As you know, this
office has been unable to make a decision on your request by 11 August
2014. Accordingly, pursuant to section 15AC of the Act, a request will be
made to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) for a
further extension to the statutory timeframe. We will notify you of the
OAIC's decision in respect of our request for additional time in due
course.
We apologise for the delay in finalising your request, however, please be
assured that we are endeavouring to complete the matter as soon as
possible.
Kind Regards,
SOPHIE BRUNETTI
INFO ACCESS, GOV'T RELATIONS
POLICY & GOVERNANCE
[1]cid:image003.jpg@01CFBC5E.23AF9150
Tel +61(0) 2 61312291 Ext 142291
[2]www.afp.gov.au
Our reference: RQ14/01888
Your reference: 2015/24
Mr Ben Fairless
Dear Ms Fairless
I am writing to inform you that on the 26 August 2014, the Australian
Federal Police (AFP) requested further time to make a decision on your FOI
request of 12 July 2014.
Pursuant to s 15AC(4) the AFP’s request is on the basis that the
processing period was insufficient to deal adequately with your request.
The AFP have requested a 45 day extension, which would make the due date
for your request the 25 September 2014.
I invite you to provide comment with regard to AFP’s request before I make
a final decision. If you wish to comment please do so by close of business
29 August 2014.
Regards
Timothy Fleming| Investigations Officer
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
Level 3, 175 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000
GPO Box 5218 Sydney NSW 2001 |www.oaic.gov.au
Phone: +61 2 9284 9731
Fax: +61 2 9284 9666
Email: [email address]
Protecting information rights – advancing information policy
[1]Description: Description: Description: Description: Description:
Description: Description: Description: Description: Description:
cid:image001.jpg@01CD2C68.A6382250
References
Visible links
Our reference: RQ14/01888
AFP reference: 2015/24
Mr Ben Fairless
Dear Mr Fairless
Thank you for your call today. In regards to our conversation, I asked if
the AFP consented to our office providing you with their 15AC application.
The AFP did not agree to our office providing you with the document in its
entirety. However, they gave our office a redacted copy of the application
(attached) which they were happy for us to provide to you.
I hope this assists with preparing your submission. Considering the lost
time I will allow you an extra time to provide your submission to close of
business 1 September 2014.
Regards
Timothy Fleming| Investigations Officer
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
Level 3, 175 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000
GPO Box 5218 Sydney NSW 2001 |www.oaic.gov.au
Phone: +61 2 9284 9731
Fax: +61 2 9284 9666
Email: [email address]
Protecting information rights – advancing information policy
[1]Description: Description: Description: Description: Description:
Description: Description: Description: Description: Description:
cid:image001.jpg@01CD2C68.A6382250
References
Visible links
Dear Tim,
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to the request from the AFP for a 45 day extension to my request.
I am concerned that a 45 day extension is excessive. This would take the total processing time to over 70 days.
The AFP have spent over 22 out of 30 days simply waiting for responses from the relevant line areas. This waiting time is irrelevant when the AFP refers to the case load of its FOI team, as it wouldn't have been able to look into the documents even if it was fully staffed!
It could be reasonably argued that the relevant line areas didn't consider the request from the FOI team as important enough to respond. This would appear to be inconsistent with the objectives of the FOI Act.
Whilst the internal politics of the AFP are not my concern, they should not be used as an excuse to circumvent the obligation of the AFP to respond within the legislated time frames.
As the FOI team now have the documents (I note it is not specified by the AFP how many documents relate to this request) all that needs to be completed is the assessment of the documents. As my request relates to a user guide only, I find it hard to see how it would take 45 days to review this document.
I therefore argue that the OAIC should refuse this request. The delay in processing this request appear to be caused by inaction from line areas within the AFP (and the priority those line areas give to FOI requests) versus an actual backlog with the FOI team.
If, despite my contentions, the Information Commissioner believes an extension should be granted, I would respectfully suggest it be kept to, at a maximum, 15 days.
Yours sincerely,
Ben Fairless
UNCLASSIFIED
Good Morning Mr Fairless,
Please see the attached documents in response to your Freedom of
Information Request.
Kind Regards
ON BEHALF OF A/COORDINATOR
INFORMATION ACCESS (FOI)
POLICY & GOVERNANCE
[1]cid:image001.gif@01CF7682.837FF1A0
Tel +61(0) 2 61316131 Fax +61(0) 2
61326082
[2]www.afp.gov.au
UNCLASSIFIED
References
Visible links
2. http://www.afp.gov.au/
Ben Fairless left an annotation ()
Welcome! Annotations are great for asking questions, seeking advice, or helping others out with requests, so you've done the right thing by using them.
I marked the request as "refused" because I didn't feel I got anything out of the request. You're correct, while a redacted document was technically provided, I didn't feel I got enough information to say I got "Some of the information" (which is the next most logical status).
At the end of the day, people are free to mark requests as they see fit. You'll see quite a few requests which are considered "refused" even though they were technically withdrawn, as people refused to pay the charges. We go with the common sense meaning, not the legal meaning :)
Phat Pance left an annotation ()
I would agree you nor anyone else got much out of this, except for the fact that we know this document exists. Two unredacted paragraphs in a 30 page document is ridiculous.
Is there any sense in continuing with this particular FOI request, objecting to the redactions? Are you interested in continuing this line? I would appreciate it :).
Or, given we know this particular document exists now perhaps another FOI request for an un-redacted version of this document? I can't see why this document should not be in the public domain.
Ben Fairless left an annotation ()
My rights of review have expired (this was in October 2014) so there isn't a way for me to seek review of the decision.
If someone else was to request the document, they should read the decision schedule and address each exemption as fully as possible. They could still decide to redact however!
Phat Pance left an annotation ()
Sorry I'm new here not sure what the purpose of these annotations is. But ... I'm asking a question:
Is this over? The status of the request say rejected, but there is no correspondence stating that explicitly. To the contrary the last email is the document you requested - with every single page essentially completely redacted. I'm not sure what that is, bu how do you come to the conclusion that its rejected?