GPO Box 2392
Melbourne, VIC 3001 Australia
www.transport.vic.gov.au
Our Ref: CS017679
Jarred Crowe
By email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Dear Mr Crowe
Your request for documents I refer to your request under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic) (
FOI Act) received by
the Department of Transport and Planning (
Department) on 26 July 2025. You requested
access to:
Dear Department of Transport,
I am formally requesting access to the following document under the Freedom of Information
Act 1982:
1) FOI log for the period between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025, including:
- internal reference numbers,
- request dates,
- request scopes,
- identified documents,
- the decision outcome for each document (e.g. released in full, released in part, refused), and
- decision dates.
Please note that I am not seeking any personal information, including the names or contact
details of requesters or FOI officers involved in processing the requests.
On 18 August 2025, the Department sought clarification because the request is not clear and
specific enough for us to identify the documents you have requested. That correspondence
also raised concerns that your request has potential to be voluminous and may require
extensive assessment.
In response, you submitted a modified request on 18 August 2025. You agreed to out scope:
identified documents to individual requests; and
personal requests, consistent with the distinction between ‘personal’ and ‘non
personal’ requests reported in the OVIC Annual Report.
I apologise for the delay in responding to your amended request.
Your request requires further clarification
Despite you providing amended request on 18 August 2025, your request remains not
sufficiently clear because the ‘request dates’ and ‘decision outcome for each document’
element of your request has not been addressed.
As previously advised, the term ‘request dates’ is undefined due to the nature of a FOI
lifecycle having several dates involved. Furthermore, FOI decisions are made to requests as
a whole, not on documents individually.
Efforts to process the request are likely to still be excessive
Whilst you have now agreed to out scope personal requests, they are not the main reason
your request appears voluminous.
Non personal FOI requests can still capture large amounts of personal details. This includes,
but is not limited to things like names, property details, details of persons impacted by traffic
accidents, and medical information etc. With over 1800 received between 1 July 2024 and 30
June 2025, each request (both ‘personal’ and ‘non personal’ requests) would need individual
assessment and redactions applied to personal affairs information. The work needed to
assess and deidentify the material is likely to be onerous.
Suggested wording of your request
In the circumstances, it is suggested that a reframed request could focus on:
Received date: This is the date a FOI request is received by the Department.
Decision outcome for the request: This identifies if access was provided in full, in part,
refused, or other; and
FOI ‘subject’ rather that the full terms of request: This provides a broad overview of
the request terms without identifying personal affairs information.
Considering the above, suggested wording of your request could be as follows:
1) A log for FOI requests received by the Department of Transport and Planning
between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025, including:
- FOI reference number;
- Received date;
- Subject;
- Decision outcome; and
- Decision date.
Please note that I am not seeking any personal information, including the names or
contact details of requesters or FOI officers involved in processing the requests.
What you need to do
If you wish to continue with your FOI request, please clarify your request within 21 days of
receiving this correspondence by contacting us at xxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx.xxx.xx.
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You may agree to the suggested wording above, or wish to offer an alternative phrasing of
your request. However, please note that any alternative that does not sufficiently specify the
documents sought may result in the request not proceeding.
Until your request is amended as required by section 17 of the Act it cannot be processed
and the 30-day period within which a decision must be made on your request has not
commenced.
If this consultation fails to achieve a valid request by Tuesday 23 September 2025, we may
close your request without processing it. If we close your request without processing it, you
will need to make a new request if you wish to access the documents.
Contact
Please feel free to contact us at xxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx.xxx.xx if you have any queries about this
matter.
Yours sincerely
Darson Bonett
Manager, Privacy and Information Access
2/09/2025
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