Mr Phillip Tweedie
University Secretary
University Governance Office
xxx@xxx.xxx.xx
17 December 2025
Lloyd Boulton
Via Email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Freedom Of Information Request 202500251
Notice of Practical Refusal
Dear Applicant
On 6 October 2025, the Australian National University received your request seeking access to
documents under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the Act)
.
I am an officer authorised under section 23(1) of the FOI Act to make decisions in relation to FOI
requests.
I am satisfied, for the reasons outlined below, that your request in its current form creates an
unreasonable diversion of this agency’s resources. On this basis I intend to refuse access to the
documents you have requested. This is called a ‘practical refusal reason’ (section 24AA of the FOI
Act).
However, before I make a final decision, you have an opportunity to revise your request. This is
called a ‘request consultation process’ as set out under section 24AB of the FOI Act. You have 14
days to respond to this notice in one of the ways set out below under the heading ‘what you need
to do’.
Why I intend to refuse your request
Your first request received on 6 October 2025 is as follows:
“Under the Freedom of Information Act 1982, I request access to any correspondence
between staff of the Office of the Provost and Nous Group.
The Australian National University
Canberra 2600, ACT Australia
TEQSA Provider ID: PRV12002 (Australian University)
CRICOS Provider Code: 00120C
This should include any emails between the ANU and Nous where any of the following
email addresses are listed in either the To, From, or CC fields:
xxxxxxx.xxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx
xxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx
xxxx.xxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx
xxxxxxxxx.xxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx
xxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx
xx.xxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx
xx.xxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx
xx.xxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx
The requested correspondence should cover the period from Jan 1 2025 to present.”
On receipt of your request, the University undertook preliminary searches for documents within
scope of the request
We are advised:
That a search of one of the email addresses referred to in your request shows approximately 95
separate emails that are potentially relevant. Given your request mentions 7 different email
addresses, there are potentially 600 sperate emails that need to be considered and checked for
relevance.
I have decided that a practical refusal reason exists. Under section 24AA(2) the agency or Minister
must have regard to the resources that would be used for identifying, locating or collating the
documents within the filing system of the agency. In relation to this, I advise the following:
• The ANU considers there may be approximately 600 relevant emails.
• On the basis of a conservative figure of 5 minutes per email, it will take in excess of 50 hours to
review the emails for relevance.
• Assuming 50% of the emails are relevant, it will take an additional 25 hours (again at 5 minutes
per email) to download each one and convert to .pdf
The Australian National University
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CRICOS Provider #00120C
• Once that is completed, the pages will need to be examined by FOI Team staff noting the
sensitivities and considering appropriate exemptions. Using a conservative 10 minutes per
page this will amount to a further 12 hours.
• Once the redactions have been marked up, it appears it will be necessary to consult with Nous
and other persons named in the emails. Assuming only 3 such consultations, that will take a
further 6 hours.
• A further amount of time would then be required to assess, process any consultation
responses, create a schedule and apply any redactions required under the FOI Act (at least 6
hours)
This totals approximately 100 hours.
On that basis I consider the processing the request would amount to an unreasonable diversion of
the resources of the agency.
Request consultation process
You now have an opportunity to revise your request to enable it to proceed. If you wish to revise
your request, you may consider the following options to remove the practical refusal reason:
Increase precision: The more precise you can be with your request, the easier it is to locate
documents and process them. If you are aware of a specific document or documents you want
access to, provide as much information about that document as possible to assist with searches.
Broad information leads to broad searches. including searches that seek “all communications”
which leads to increased processing times to work through the larger number of documents
obtained. You may also wish to exclude from the request meeting requests and other non-
substantive emails.
Restrict the documents you are seeking: The request seeks documents over a 9-month period.
Reducing the period will reduce the number of documents and enable the request to proceed. In
addition, seeking access to both the personal emails and functional (i.e. emails connected to a
position) is likely to lead to a degree of duplication and additional work so you could consider
limiting your request to only functional emails. You may also wish to include non-substantive
emails such as meeting requests, meeting acceptance and the like with no substantive content.
The Australian National University
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CRICOS Provider #00120C
Provide key words that allow more precise searches of emails: this may exclude number of emails
containing personal information that are likely to be exempt in any event. You may wish to
consider limiting to your request to the functional emails,
What you need to do
Before the end of the consultation period, you must do one of the following, in writing, in
accordance with section 24AB(6) of the Act:
• Make a revised request – according to the advice above or in another way; or
• Tell us that you do not wish to revise the request; or
• Withdraw the request.
The consultation period runs for 14 days and starts on the day after you receive this notice.
If you revise your request in a way that adequately addresses the practical refusal grounds outlined
above, we will recommence processing it. (Please note that the time taken to consult you regarding
the scope of your request is
not taken into account for the purposes of the 30-day time limit for
processing your request.)
If you do not do one of the three things listed above during the consultation period, your request
will be taken to have been withdrawn.
Contact officer
If you would like to discuss revising your request or have any questions, please contact our office
via email in the first instance vi
a xxx@xxx.xxx.xx quoting
FOI 202500251 as your reference number
in the subject line.
Your review rights are outlined on the following page.
Yours sincerely
Mr Phillip Tweedie
University Governance Office
Australian National University
The Australian National University
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CRICOS Provider #00120C
Your review rights
If you are dissatisfied with my decision, 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
Application for Internal Review of Decision
Section 54A of the Act, gives you the right to apply for an internal review of my decision.
It must be made in writing within 30 days of receipt of this letter, no particular form is required but
it is desirable to set out in the application the grounds on which you consider the decision should
be reviewed.
The application should be addressed to Freedom of Information at
xxx@xxx.xxx.xx.
Application for Information Commissioner Review of decision
Under section 54L of the FOI Act, you may apply to the Australian Information Commissioner to
review my decision. An application must be made in writing within 60 days of the date of this
letter, and be lodged in one of the following ways:
Form: either online form or downloadable form available at
https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-information/your-freedom-of-information-
rights/freedom-of-information-reviews/information-commissioner-review
email:
xxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx
Post: Director of FOI Dispute Resolution, GPO Box 5288, Sydney NSW 2001
More information is available on the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner website.
https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-information/your-freedom-of-information-rights/freedom-
of-information-reviews
The Australian National University
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CRICOS Provider #00120C
