Disclosure log

1. I request the total number of orders of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1) are currently electronically sealed with the signature of the Chief Executive Officer and Principal Registrar, David Pringle each year since 17 Apr 2020, and;
2. I request the total number of orders of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) are currently electronically sealed with the signature of the Chief Executive Officer and Principal Registrar, David Pringle each year since 17 Apr 2020, and;
3. I request you provide me a copy of David Pringle Oath of Office, a transcript of his Oath, and the details of his surety bond including the value of David Pringle’s surety bond and the name of the insurer, and;
4. I request you provide me a copy of the contact details of Judge Dearne Firth’s surety bond’s insurer and the insurer’s name.

1. Copy of responses to freedom of information requests made to the Family Court of Australia (now the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1)) in the last ten years, other than those already provided on the Court's disclosure log.
2. Information on the total number of the freedom of information requests that are considered unreasonable for publication.
3. Any and all further information relating to requests that are considered unreasonable for publication.

Information relating to the travel of the Chief Executive Officer and Principal Registrar from 1 July 2018 to 29 February 2020, including costs of airfares and travel allowance.

Documents relating to acting appointments of the Chief Executive Officer and Principal Registrar from 1 July 2018 to 29 February 2020.

Access to:

• all documents – including but not limited to statistics, memoranda, emails, media releases, excerpts from annual reports etc – explaining or pertaining to administrative oversights, administrative delays, administrative mistakes, breakdowns or problems (however described, and including the recording of judgments and orders, and audits in relation to administrative problems however described), in both the Registry and Court of the Brisbane Registry of the Federal Circuit Court for each of the calendar years 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 – or each of the financial years 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17, and 2017/18 if recorded in that manner – (such documents being not case-specific and which have all identifying names redacted);
• all documents showing the number of judgments delivered or handed down by judges (such documents being those which are collectively recorded and those which are not collectively recorded, but in any event documents which are not case-specific and which have all identifying names redacted) of the Federal Circuit Court in Brisbane for each of the calendar years 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 – or each of the financial years 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17, and 2017/18 if recorded in that manner;
• all documents showing or recording the number of overdue judgments or final orders, delivered or handed down or which had or have not been delivered or handed down, by judges (such documents being those which are collectively recorded and those which are not collectively recorded, but in any event documents which are not case-specific and which have all identifying names redacted) of the Federal Circuit Court in Brisbane for each of the calendar years 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 – or each of the financial years 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17, and 2017/18 if recorded in that manner – being judgments or orders in matters where the judgment or final orders have or has not been delivered or handed down within one (1) year of the last appearances in Court of any of the parties;
• all documents showing or recording the number of cases where the matter has not been completed or where judgment or final orders have or has not been delivered or handed down within two (2) years of the matter having first been listed in the Registry of the Federal Circuit Court in Brisbane, for each of the calendar years 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 – or each of the financial years 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17, and 2017/18 if recorded in that manner (such documents being those which are collectively recorded and those which are not collectively recorded, but in any event documents which are not case-specific and which have all identifying names redacted); and
• all documents relating to the operation of the Federal Circuit Court in Brisbane and the Registry in Brisbane – including but not limited to statistics, memoranda, emails, media releases, correspondence, excerpts from annual reports etc – which record the number of approaches to the Court or the Chief Judge by, or replies by the Court or the Chief Judge to, any office-bearer or employee of the Bar Association of Queensland, for each of the calendar years 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 – or each of the financial years 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17, and 2017/18 if recorded in that manner (such documents being those which are collectively recorded and those which are not collectively recorded, but in any event documents which are not case-specific and which have all identifying names redacted). 

Three sets of documents were found to be within scope of the request. 

The first set of documents covers data in respect of complaints. Those documents have been reproduced from the Federal Circuit Court’s Annual Reports.

The second set of documents covers data in respect of judgments delivered. Those documents have been reproduced from the Federal Circuit Court’s Annual Reports.

The third set of documents covers data in respect of statistics relating to judicial performance in the Federal Circuit Court.  Those documents have been reproduced from the Federal Circuit Court’s Annual Reports.

The documents or any of them are available on request from the Court's FOI Contact Officer who can be contacted by email at customer.service@federalcircuitcourt.gov.au.

Any communications, documents, directions, memos, emails (formal or informal) sent from or to the Chief Judge, Principal Registrar/CEO since 30 May 2018 relating to ‘assisting the Parliament’ in its consideration of proposed structural reform to the Federal Courts.

For the purpose of this request:

• The named positions include personal or executive assistants, staff or associates authorised to send or receive communications on behalf of the named position.
• ‘Assisting the Parliament’ includes (but is not limited to) communicating or meeting with parliamentarians, making individual or collective submissions to Senate Inquiries and appearing before Senate Inquiries.

One document was found to be within the scope of the request.

Email to Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Court from Committee Secretary of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee dated 28 August 2018

Any communications, documents, directions, memos, emails (formal or informal) sent from or to the Chief Judge, Principal Registrar/CEO since 30 May 2018 relating to ‘assisting the Parliament’ in its consideration of proposed structural reform to the Federal Courts.

For the purpose of this request:

• The named positions include personal or executive assistants, staff or associates authorised to send or receive communications on behalf of the named position.

‘Assisting the Parliament’ includes (but is not limited to) communicating or meeting with parliamentarians, making individual or collective submissions to Senate Inquiries and appearing before Senate Inquiries.

Two documents were found to be within the scope of the request.

Email to Chief Executive Officer and Principal Registrar of the Federal Circuit Court from Committee Secretary of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee dated 28 August 2018

Email from Chief Executive Officer and Principal Registrar of the Federal Circuit Court to Chief Judge Alstergren copied to National Director, Court and Tribunal Services and Manager Chambers of Chief Judge Alstergren forwarding the above invitation dated 28 August 2018

1. Documents containing information about the Parliamentary Inquiry into family law and family violence and the cancellation of the hearing in which Chief Justice Diana Bryant was to appear on June 20, 2017.
   Specifically, information relevant to the cancellation about:
   1. Email correspondence and communication between the Chief Justice Diana Bryant of the Family Court of Australia and the chair of the Committee Ms Sarah Henderson MP.
   2. Email correspondence and communication between the Chief Justice Diana Bryant and Chief Judge John Pascoe AC of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia.

All correspondence over the past two years between the Chief Judge and the chief executive officer of the Federal Circuit Court; and all correspondence between the Federal Circuit Court Chief Judge or CEO and the chief justice or CEO/registrar of the Federal Court or the chief justice or CEO of the Family Court regarding court funding or courts administration or any possible restructure of or change to courts administration, and in particular, any possible restructure of or change to courts administration.

and

all correspondence over the past two years between the Chief Justice and the chief executive officer of the Family Court; and all correspondence between the Family Court Chief Justice or CEO and the chief justice or CEO of the Federal Court or the chief judge or CEO of the Federal Circuit Court regarding court funding or courts administration, and in particular, any possible restructure of or change to courts administration.  

The FOI decision in this matter was to partially release eight documents. Exemptions were made in accordance with Legal Professional Privilege (s42), personal privacy (s47F) and law enforcement and public safety (s37).

Documents of a Judge do not fall within the ambit of the FOI Act. Accordingly, FOI consideration was not given to correspondence between judicial officers and was limited to correspondence in the possession of the Court that is classified as administrative in nature.

1. Current social media policy of the department, which covers departmental use and/or private use by employees in an individual capacity.
2. Any current guidance material which is available for employees to make informed decisions about their private social media use.

The FOI decision in this matter was to release in full without redaction three documents as attached below:

1. FCOA & FCC email, internet and social media declaration
2. FCOA & FCC internet and email policy
3. FCOA & FCC social media policy