Register correspondence and prepare a freedom of information file

What is going on

A regional journalist has lodged a freedom of information request for documents about the Wimmera Community Transport grant decision, registered as FOI-26-0041 with a statutory due date of 19 October 2026. The grant was declined in August and a separate acquittal irregularity involving the same provider is under investigation as RC-26-0198. This morning's mail includes a ministerial letter, two public enquiries and a complaint that all need registering. Theo Lindqvist wants the correspondence registered and classified correctly, and a complete document list assembled for the freedom of information officer, with anything sensitive or connected to the investigation flagged, and nothing released.

Your brief

Register and classify the day's incoming correspondence in the tracker with the right type, due date and owner, then compile a complete list of documents relevant to the freedom of information request from the registers and the file, flag security classifications and investigation-related material, and prepare the file for the officer's decision.

Work through it

You do not need to do it all. Doing a few of these will show you what the work is like. Your ticks and notes stay on this device.

• Read the Records Management Policy and the Ministerial Briefs and Correspondence Procedure and register each item of incoming correspondence in the Ministerial and Correspondence Tracker with type, received date, due date and responsible officer.
• Apply the Security Classification and Sensitive Information Procedure to each item and record the classification and the reason for anything above Official.
• Open FOI-26-0041 in the tracker and confirm the statutory due date and the scope of the request.
• Search the Grants Register and the Compliance and Investigations Register for every record connected to the Wimmera Community Transport grant decision and list each document with its date, author and location.
• Flag documents that contain personal information, that are Official: Sensitive, or that relate to the open investigation RC-26-0198, and explain why the freedom of information officer needs to consider them separately.
• Prepare a cover note for the freedom of information officer summarising the document list and confirming that nothing has been released.
• Save the list and cover note to the FOI file and update the tracker status.

What someone in this role would produce

• Tracker entries for the day's correspondence with classifications
• Document list for FOI-26-0041 with flags
• Cover note to the freedom of information officer