Our Ref: FOI-2025/0930133126
30 September 2025
JayShah2000
By email: <xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx>
Dear JayShah2000,
Request for documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth)
1. I refer to your email to the Australian Human Rights Commission (the
Commission) dated 18 September 2025 requesting the following under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) FOI Act):
the document sent to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for the written
submissions on the draft CERD report in between May and July 2015
2. I am an officer authorised under s 23(1) of the FOI Act to make decisions in
relation to FOI requests.
Searches and outcomes
3. The Commission conducted the following searches for this document:
• Your request was sent to the Director of the Race Discrimination
team, who conducted a search of their files. The Director could not
locate the document.
• Your request was sent to the Chief Information Officer (CIO) who
conducted an archives search (for files held offsite). The CIO located
an entry for a file entitled “Review of Australian Government
Reports to CERD”. This file was destroyed in 2020 having reference
to and in accordance with the relevant Records Authorities issued
by the National Archives of Australia.
Australian Human Rights
GPO Box 5218
General enquiries
1300 369 711
Commission
Sydney NSW 2001
National Info Service
1300 656 419
ABN 47 996 232 602
www.humanrights.gov.au
TTY
1800 620 241
Australian Human Rights Commission
Decision
4. On the basis of the searches conducted, I have made the decision to refuse
access to the document pursuant to section 24A(1)(b)(ii) of the FOI Act, as I
am satisfied that the document you have requested does not exist.
Avenues of review
5. If you are dissatisfied with my decision or the searches we conducted to
locate the document the subject of your request, you may apply for internal
review or Information Commissioner review of the decision. We encourage
you to seek internal review as a first step as it may provide a more rapid
resolution of your concerns.
Internal review
6. Under s 54 of the FOI Act, you may apply for an internal review of my
decision by writing to the Commission within 30 days of the date of this letter
stating the reasons why you believe the review of the decision is necessary.
The internal review will be carried out by another officer within 30 days.
Information Commissioner Review
7. Under s 54L of the FOI Act, you may apply to the Australian Information
Commissioner to review my decision. An application for review by the
Information Commissioner must be made in writing within 60 days of the
date of this letter, and be lodged in one of the following ways:
Online:
Information Commissioner Review Application Form
Email:
xxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx
Post:
GPO Box 5288, Sydney NSW 2001
8. Go t
o https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-information/reviews-and-
complaints/ for more information about a review by the Information
Commissioner.
Yours sincerely
Lara Renton
Acting General Counsel
T: +61 2 9284 9865
E: xxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
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