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Our reference: CB 26-060
Glenn Hamiltonshire
By email:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Dear Mr Hamiltonshire
Decision on your Freedom of Information Request
1
Your request
On 17 August 2025, you submitted a request to the Classification Board (the Board), seeking access to
documents under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).
You requested access to:
Any submissions, correspondents, or documents received and exchanged by the Australian
Classification Board from the organisation known as "Collective Shout", a registered charity which
exists from time to time, identify by the ABN 30162159097 since 1 January 2009 onward.
Excluding duplicates and documents already publicly released, including media releases, reports,
articles and statements to the media.
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.
3
Decision
The right of access under the FOI Act is limited to a ‘document of an agency’, being a document in the
possession of the Board, whether created by the Board or received by the Board (section 4 of the FOI Act
refers).
Section 24A of the FOI Act provides that an agency 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 is satisfied that the document:
GPO Box 594, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
(02) 6274 7111
infrastructure.gov.au
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(i)
is in the agency's possession but cannot be found, or
(ii)
does not exist.
I am satisfied that all reasonable steps have been taken to find documents which would be relevant to your
request and that no documents matching the description in your request were identified as being in the
possession of the Board.
I have decided, in accordance with section 24A of the FOI Act, that the Board does not hold a document in
its possession that meets the terms of your request.
4
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 contained in the documents captured
by your request
5
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.
6
Your review rights
If you are dissatisfied with my decision, you may apply for a review of it.
6.1 Information Commissioner review or complaint
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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Further information
The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts
provides administrative assistance to the Classification 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
Steven Thomson
Director
Classification Board
Date: 3 September 2025
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