Our reference: FOI 24‐074
Alex Pentland
By email: foi+request‐10625‐xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Dear Alex,
Decision on your Freedom of Information Request
I refer to your request of 28 August 2023, to the Classification Board (the Board), seeking access to documents
under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).
1
Your request
You requested access to:
The Style Guides/Brand Guides/Writing Guides currently used by the Australian Classification Board.
2
Authority to make decision
I am authorised to make decisions in relation to Freedom of Information requests under section 23(1) of the
FOI Act.
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Background
The Classification Board like many government agencies uses the publicly available Australian Government Style
Manual to write, edit, review or approve content for information concerning:
digital services and products
briefs
policy documents
reports
technical and specialist content
government communications.
The Classification Board does not have its own style manual.
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Decision
The right of access under the FOI Act is limited to a document in the possession of an Agency.
GPO Box 594, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
1800 075 001 infrastructure.gov.au | arts.gov.au
A ‘document’ that may be requested under the FOI Act does not include material maintained for reference
purposes that is otherwise publicly available. Also, a ‘document of an agency’ is limited to a document in the
possession of the Board, whether created in the Board or received in the Board (section 4 of the FOI Act refers).
Section 24A of the FOI Act provides that the Board may refuse a request for access to a document if:
(a)
all reasonable steps have been taken to find the document, and
(b)
the agency or Minister is satisfied that the document:
(i)
is in the agency's or Minister's possession but cannot be found, or
(ii)
does not exist.
The Board has conducted searches of their information holdings. No documents matching the description in
your request were identified as being in the possession of the Board.
I am satisfied that all reasonable steps have been taken to find documents which would be relevant to your
request and that the documents cannot be located or do not exist in the possession of the department.
I have decided to refuse your request in accordance with section 24A of the FOI Act, on the basis that the Board
does not hold a document in its possession that meets the terms of your request.
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Material taken into consideration
In making my decision, I had regard to the following:
• the terms of your request
• the provisions of the FOI Act
• the guidelines issued by the Australian Information Commissioner under section 93A of the FOI Act (the FOI
Guidelines)
• advice from officers with responsibility for the subject matter captured by your request
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Legislative provisions
The FOI Act, including the provisions referred to in my decision, are available on the Federal Register of
Legislation website: www.legislation.gov.au/Series/C2004A02562.
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Your review rights
Your review rights in relation to this decision are set out at
ATTACHMENT A.
2
Further information
The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts provides
administrative assistance to the Board in relation to FOI matters. If you require further information regarding
this decision, please contact the Department’s FOI Section at xxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx.
Yours sincerely
Fiona Jolly
Director
Classification Board
Date: 15 September 2023
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ATTACHMENT A.
YOUR REVIEW RIGHTS
If you are dissatisfied with my decision, you may apply for a review of it.
Information Commissioner review or complaint
You have the right to seek a review by the Information Commissioner of this decision.
An application for IC review must be made in writing to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
(OAIC) within 60 days of the decision.
If you are not satisfied with the way we have handled your FOI request, you can lodge a complaint with the
OAIC. However, the OAIC suggests that complaints are made to the agency in the first instance.
More information about the Information Commissioner reviews and complaints is available on the OAIC website
here: www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-information/foi-review-process.
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