Seeking documentary evidence that the Minister responsible for the HOSM program was factually informed
Dear PM&C,
Under the Freedom of Information Act 1982, I request access to the following documents:
1. A copy of the Department’s initial advice to the Minister responsible for the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal (HOSM) program, informing the Minister that the HOSM with the ‘Indian Ocean’ clasp was awarded to commercial security contractors supporting General Electric’s humanitarian operation in Banda Aceh following the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami.
2. Any document recording advice provided by Mr. Peter Rush, who held delegated duties to administer the HOSM program, regarding the commercial security contractors serving with the General Electric contingent in Banda Aceh.
3. Any document recording advice provided by Mr. John Reid regarding the involvement of commercial security contractors in the General Electric contingent, including any communications related to informing the Minister or correcting the public record.
Please note that this is the second FOI request I have been compelled to submit due to the Department’s failure to respond to my initial request made in July 2024. As such, I will not agree to any further requests for an extension and expect the Department to adhere to its statutory obligations by providing a response, including the requisite statement of reasons, within the prescribed timeframe
If any part of this request overlaps with previous FOI requests, I request the Department reconsider its position and conduct a fresh assessment in the public interest. Should you hold documents that contain redactions, I request that redactions be limited to the extent necessary, and that any exempt material be clearly identified with justification.
I am happy to assist if further clarification is required.
Yours faithfully,
Trav S
OFFICIAL
Departmental reference: FOI 2025/014 and 2025/015
Dear Trav S
I refer your requests of 29 January 2025 under the Freedom of Information
Act 1982 seeking access to:
2025/014
1. A copy of the Department’s initial advice to the Minister
responsible for the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal (HOSM) program,
informing the Minister that the HOSM with the ‘Indian Ocean’ clasp was
awarded to commercial security contractors supporting General Electric’s
humanitarian operation in Banda Aceh following the 2004 Boxing Day
tsunami.
2. Any document recording advice provided by Mr. Peter Rush, who
held delegated duties to administer the HOSM program, regarding the
commercial security contractors serving with the General Electric
contingent in Banda Aceh.
3. Any document recording advice provided by Mr. John Reid
regarding the involvement of commercial security contractors in the
General Electric contingent, including any communications related to
informing the Minister or correcting the public record.
2025/015
1. A copy of the Department’s assessment and advice provided to
the Minister responsible for the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal
(HOSM) that led to the HOSM with ‘Afghanistan’ clasp being awarded to
individuals or groups. Please include any supporting documentation,
recommendations, or justifications associated with this award.
The current due date for a decision on the requests is today 28 February
2025. Processing of your requests is underway, unfortunately the
Department is not currently in a position to finalise the decisions by
this date.
Accordingly, we are seeking your agreement under section 15AA of the FOI
Act to extend the processing period by 30 days. This additional time would
extend the due date for a decision on your requests to 31 March 2025, we
are endeavouring to finalise requests before the due date if possible.
We note your advice to the Department that you will not agree to any
requests for extensions. However please be advised the extension will
preserve your rights to an internal review if you are not happy with the
Department’s decision.
With apologies for the short notice, we would be grateful if you please
confirm via return email by today 28 February 2025. Thank you for your
patience.
Kind 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: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. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
OFFICIAL
Departmental reference: FOI 2025/014 and 2025/015
Dear Trav S
I refer your requests of 29 January 2025 under the Freedom of Information
Act 1982 seeking access to:
2025/014
1. A copy of the Department’s initial advice to the Minister
responsible for the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal (HOSM) program,
informing the Minister that the HOSM with the ‘Indian Ocean’ clasp was
awarded to commercial security contractors supporting General Electric’s
humanitarian operation in Banda Aceh following the 2004 Boxing Day
tsunami.
2. Any document recording advice provided by Mr. Peter Rush, who
held delegated duties to administer the HOSM program, regarding the
commercial security contractors serving with the General Electric
contingent in Banda Aceh.
3. Any document recording advice provided by Mr. John Reid
regarding the involvement of commercial security contractors in the
General Electric contingent, including any communications related to
informing the Minister or correcting the public record.
2025/015
1. A copy of the Department’s assessment and advice provided to
the Minister responsible for the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal
(HOSM) that led to the HOSM with ‘Afghanistan’ clasp being awarded to
individuals or groups. Please include any supporting documentation,
recommendations, or justifications associated with this award.
The current due date for a decision on the requests is today 28 February
2025. Processing of your requests is underway, unfortunately the
Department is not currently in a position to finalise the decisions by
this date.
Accordingly, we are seeking your agreement under section 15AA of the FOI
Act to extend the processing period by 30 days. This additional time would
extend the due date for a decision on your requests to 31 March 2025, we
are endeavouring to finalise requests before the due date if possible.
We note your advice to the Department that you will not agree to any
requests for extensions. However please be advised the extension will
preserve your rights to an internal review if you are not happy with the
Department’s decision.
With apologies for the short notice, we would be grateful if you please
confirm via return email by today 28 February 2025. Thank you for your
patience.
Kind 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: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. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
Dear FOI,
I do not agree to the extension for the reasons already provided
Yours sincerely,
Trav S
OFFICIAL
Reference: FOI/2025/014
Dear Trav S
Thank you for your email 29 January 2025 in which you made a request under
the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act) to the Department of the
Prime Minister and Cabinet (the Department). We apologise for the delay in
acknowledging your request.
You set out the terms of the request as per the following scope:
Under the Freedom of Information Act 1982, I request access to the
following documents:
1. A copy of the Department’s initial advice to the
Minister responsible for the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal (HOSM)
program, informing the Minister that the HOSM with the ‘Indian Ocean’
clasp was awarded to commercial security contractors supporting General
Electric’s humanitarian operation in Banda Aceh following the 2004 Boxing
Day tsunami.
2. Any document recording advice provided by Mr. Peter
Rush, who held delegated duties to administer the HOSM program, regarding
the commercial security contractors serving with the General Electric
contingent in Banda Aceh.
3. Any document recording advice provided by Mr. John
Reid regarding the involvement of commercial security contractors in the
General Electric contingent, including any communications related to
informing the Minister or correcting the public record.
Please note that this is the second FOI request I have been compelled to
submit due to the Department’s failure to respond to my initial request
made in July 2024. As such, I will not agree to any further requests for
an extension and expect the Department to adhere to its statutory
obligations by providing a response, including the requisite statement of
reasons, within the prescribed timeframe
If any part of this request overlaps with previous FOI requests, I request
the Department reconsider its position and conduct a fresh assessment in
the public interest. Should you hold documents that contain redactions, I
request that redactions be limited to the extent necessary, and that any
exempt material be clearly identified with justification.
Timeframe for receiving your decision
The 30 day statutory period for processing your request commenced from the
day after the Department received your request, a decision was due from us
by 28 February 2025. Unfortunately the Department was unable to provide
you with a decision by this due date, we are continuing to process your
request.
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.
If you consider that the information categorised above is relevant to the
terms of your request please let us know at [3][DPMC request email], 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....
Kind regards
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:[DPMC request email]
3. mailto:[DPMC request email]
4. https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor...
5. mailto:[email address]
6. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
Dear FOI,
Thanks for reaching out.
The names and the positions ( i.e. employment positions ) of public servants and ministerial staff are relevant to the request.
Telephone numbers and signatures are not relevant to the request.
Yours sincerely,
Trav S
OFFICIAL
Dear Trav S
Apologies for the delay and thank you for your continued patience as we continue process your requests: FOI 2025/014, 2024/238, 2024/385 and 2024/386.
I can confirm the Department is working with the relevant area to process your requests as quickly as possible. Documents have been identified and we are currently consulting key stakeholders on their proposed release. The next steps will be to prepare the final document package and decision on access.
As a decision on these requests have not been made within the statutory timeframe, it is open to you to make a review application with the Australian Information Commissioner at the following Web Form:
https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor...
We anticipate a decision on your requests will be made within the next few weeks.
Kind 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. [email address] w. pmc.gov.au
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.
OFFICIAL
Dear Trav S
Apologies for the delay and thank you for your continued patience as we continue process your requests: FOI 2025/014, 2024/238, 2024/385 and 2024/386.
I can confirm the Department is working with the relevant area to process your requests as quickly as possible. Documents have been identified and we are currently consulting key stakeholders on their proposed release. The next steps will be to prepare the final document package and decision on access.
As a decision on these requests have not been made within the statutory timeframe, it is open to you to make a review application with the Australian Information Commissioner at the following Web Form:
https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor...
We anticipate a decision on your requests will be made within the next few weeks.
Kind 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. [email address] w. pmc.gov.au
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.
OFFICIAL
Dear Trav S
Apologies for the delay and thank you for your continued patience as we continue process your requests: FOI 2025/014, 2024/238, 2024/385 and 2024/386.
I can confirm the Department is working with the relevant area to process your requests as quickly as possible. Documents have been identified and we are currently consulting key stakeholders on their proposed release. The next steps will be to prepare the final document package and decision on access.
As a decision on these requests have not been made within the statutory timeframe, it is open to you to make a review application with the Australian Information Commissioner at the following Web Form:
https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor...
We anticipate a decision on your requests will be made within the next few weeks.
Kind 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. [email address] w. pmc.gov.au
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.
OFFICIAL
Dear Trav S
Apologies for the delay and thank you for your continued patience as we continue process your requests: FOI 2025/014, 2024/238, 2024/385 and 2024/386.
I can confirm the Department is working with the relevant area to process your requests as quickly as possible. Documents have been identified and we are currently consulting key stakeholders on their proposed release. The next steps will be to prepare the final document package and decision on access.
As a decision on these requests have not been made within the statutory timeframe, it is open to you to make a review application with the Australian Information Commissioner at the following Web Form:
https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor...
We anticipate a decision on your requests will be made within the next few weeks.
Kind 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. [email address] w. pmc.gov.au
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.
OFFICIAL
Departmental reference: FOI 2024/238 and 2025/014
Dear Trav S
Please find attached the decision regarding your request under the Freedom
of Information Act 1982.
Kind 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
______________________________________________________________________
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/
OFFICIAL
Departmental reference: FOI 2024/238 and 2025/014
Dear Trav S
Please find attached the decision regarding your request under the Freedom
of Information Act 1982.
Kind 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
______________________________________________________________________
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/
Dear FOI,
Thank you for your 30 July 2025 decision in relation to my FOI requests FOI/2024/238 and FOI/2025/014.
I confirm that I wish to proceed with the Information Commissioner (IC) review.
The Department’s decision does not resolve the purpose of my request, which was to determine whether the Minister responsible for the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal (HOSM) program was ever officially informed that HOSMs had been awarded to commercial security contractors serving with the Australian contingent to the humanitarian relief operation of GE Infrastructure, Water & Process Technologies.
This issue is clearly one of public interest — particularly given that the Minister responsible for the HOSM previously informed a sitting Member of Parliament:
“I do not intend to recommend any changes to the eligibility criteria for a medal that recognises members of not-for-profit organisations providing emergency humanitarian services overseas, to extend the medal to members of commercial contractors providing security services in support of such operations overseas."
Grounds for Review
1. Failure to Locate Documents Evidencing Ministerial Awareness
My request expressly sought any document demonstrating that the Minister had been advised that commercial security contractors serving with the GE contingent had received the HOSM. This is a material fact. If the Minister was informed, there should be a record of it. If the Minister was not informed, that omission would reflect a serious failure to meet the standard of administrative transparency expected of the Australian Public Service.
The Department’s decision:
• Fails to produce any document showing that the Minister was advised of the commercial contractor status; and
• Carefully avoids stating whether the Minister was or was not so informed.
This withholding of clarity only deepens the concern that critical information may have been intentionally excluded from ministerial briefing materials.
2. Relevant Documents Allegedly Exist – But Are Withheld
The Department states that three documents fall within scope. Two are withheld in full and one is partially released.
Document 2 (B09/1640) is not responsive to my FOI request. It contains no reference to “commercial security contractors” and makes no mention of Olive Group, the security firm engaged to provide services for the GE operation. I do not understand why this document was provided in response to a request that focused explicitly on those two elements.
Documents 1 and 3 are withheld in full. The Department’s reasons for non-disclosure rely on broad, vague assertions and invoke conditional exemptions under sections 47C, 47E, 47F, and 47G. These justifications are unsupported by evidence, lack specificity, and fail to meaningfully consider the strong public interest in transparency surrounding both the administration of the HOSM and the inclusion of commercial contractors.
This is especially significant because:
• The Department maintains that commercial security contractors are excluded from HOSM eligibility, yet says nothing when presented with irrefutable evidence that HOSMs were in fact awarded to such personnel;
• Public officials had clear duties and obligations to inform the Minister of the nature of the GE contingent. Their apparent failure to do so raises serious questions of administrative probity and is clearly in the public interest to expose;
• Withholding these documents creates a reasonable inference that the Minister was not accurately informed — whether through deliberate omission or administrative oversight.
If the Department has no record of informing the Minister, that absence is itself a responsive outcome and should be disclosed.
3. Questionable Use of Section 24A
The Department refused access to Parts 1 and 5 of my request under section 24A(1), claiming the documents either do not exist or could not be found. Yet in relation to Parts 2–4, the Department confirms that relevant documents exist but are exempt. This selective use of section 24A raises doubts about the sincerity and thoroughness of the Department’s search, particularly in light of known materials and earlier FOI matters.
Conclusion and Relief Sought
I respectfully request that the IC review proceed on the basis that:
• It remains unclear whether Departmental officials with responsibility under the HOSM program or the Honours and Awards system have advised their superiors that commercial contractors were awarded HOSMs;
• It remains unclear whether the Minister has ever been formally advised of this fact;
• Documents that could resolve this question are being withheld under conditional exemptions that are not properly justified;
• The application of section 24A appears inconsistent or potentially misused.
I ask that the OAIC consider directing the Department to:
1. Disclose any document showing whether the Minister has been advised that HOSMs were awarded to commercial security contractors serving with the Australian contingent to GE;
2. Where no such document exists, issue a formal statement acknowledging this;
3. Reassess the application of exemptions, particularly in light of the public interest in exposing administrative oversight or omission in the administration of Commonwealth honours.
Please let me know if further information is required to support the review.
Yours sincerely,
Trav S
You have contacted the Freedom of Information (FOI) inbox at the
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______________________________________________________________________
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
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2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/contact-us
3. https://www.pmc.gov.au/foi