Australian Bureau of Statistics
Locked Bag 10 | Belconnen ACT 2616



                                 FOI Ref: 2025 26-20

Name: Applicant
e-mail: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx

Dear applicant,
RE: YOUR FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST [FOI2025 26-20]
I refer to your request received by the ABS on 2 November 2025 and revised on 12 November 2025, in
which you seek:
"... any briefings, excluding duplicates and drafts, on whole-of-government standards for
measuring Australia's diversity and how to potentially expand data collection with an emphasis
on expanding ethnicity data collection.

I am specifically seeking briefings between May 2022 and August 2024""
Response to Your Request
I am an authorised decision maker under section 23 of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).
The ABS has conducted a search for documents relating to your request. I am able to notify you that 1
document was identified that relates to your request. I have decided to grant access to the documents in
part.
I have added a schedule of documents in Attachment A. The documents being released under FOI can be
found in Attachment B.
Section 22 – Irrelevant to Request
I have decided that 1 document contains some information that is irrelevant to your request. This
document contains material which is out of scope of the request and is therefore removed.
Section 47E – Operations of the Agency
I have decided that 1 document contains information which is conditionally exempt under section 47E of
the FOI Act.
Section 47E of the FOI Act provides:
•  A document is conditionally exempt if its disclosure under this Act would or could reasonably be
expected to:
•  d.   have a substantial adverse effect on the proper and efficient conduct of the
operations of an agency.
In assessing this document, I have considered the content and the guidelines issued by the Information
Commissioner to determine if the release of this material would have a substantial adverse effect on the
proper and efficient conduct of the operations of the agency.

I am satisfied that releasing the above information could have a substantial adverse effect on the proper
and efficient conduct of the operations of the ABS (section 47E(d)).
Public Interest Test
Section 47E is a conditional exemption. Pursuant to s11A(5) of the FOI Act, the ABS is required to give
access to a conditionally exempt document at a particular time, unless access to the document at that
time would, on balance, be contrary to the public interest.
In considering whether disclosure would be in the public interest, I considered the following factors
favoring disclosure, including factors set out in s11B(3) of the FOI Act:
•  Disclosure would promote the objects of the FOI Act.
•  Disclosure would inform debate on a matter of public importance.
I also considered the following factor against disclosure:
•  Disclosure could reasonably be expected to substantially affect the management function of the
agency.
After weighing up these considerations for and against disclosure I am of the view that it would be
contrary to the public interest to disclose this information at this time. I have therefore removed the
exempt content from the documents released.
Section 47F – Personal Privacy
I have decided that 1 document contains information which is conditionally exempt under section 47F of
the FOI Act. Section 47F provides:
A document is conditionally exempt from disclosure, if disclosure would involve the unreasonable
disclosure of personal information about a person.
This exemption is designed to prevent the unreasonable invasion of a person’s privacy, with a test for
‘unreasonableness’ balancing the public interest in disclosure of documents held by agencies, and the
private interest of the individuals.
In determining whether the disclosure would involve an unreasonable disclosure of personal
information, I have considered the following matters set out in section 47F(2):
•  The extent to which the information is well known.
•  Whether the person to whom the information relates is known to be, or to have been associated
with the matters dealt with in the documents.
•  The availability of the information from publicly accessible sources.
I have also considered:
•  The nature, age, and current relevance of the information.
•  Any detriment that disclosure may cause to the person to whom the information relates.
•  Any opposition to disclosure expressed or likely to be held by that person.
•  The circumstances of ABS’ collection and use of the information.
•  Whether disclosure of the information might advance the public interest in government
transparency and integrity.
•  The fact that the FOI Act does not control or restrict any subsequent use or dissemination of
information released under the FOI Act.

I have assessed the documents and determined they contain the names and contact details of ABS staff. I
have decided that this personal information is not well known or accessible through other sources, and
that the people it relates to would be likely to express opposition to its disclosure. While release of this
information may promote ‘accountability’ and ‘transparency’, such considerations are generally most
appropriately analysed at the agency or government level, rather than the individual public servant level.
Public Interest Test
Section 47F is a conditional exemption. Pursuant to section 11A(5) of the FOI Act, the ABS is required to
give access to a conditionally exempt document at a particular time unless access to the document at
that time would, on balance, be contrary to the public interest.
In considering whether disclosure would be in the public interest, I have considered the following factor
favouring disclosure:
•  Disclosure would promote the objectives of the FOI Act.
I have also considered the following factor against disclosure:
•  Disclosure of these documents would involve the unreasonable disclosure of personal
information about an individual.
I have weighed the nature of the conditionally exempt information in question and how likely it is to
promote the objectives of the FOI Act. I have decided it is contrary to the public interest to disclose this
personal information where in my view it would be an unreasonable disclosure of personal information
and would not provide significant enhancement to the transparency of the process the documents
pertain to. I have therefore removed the content from the documents provided.
Matters taken into account
I have taken the following into account in making my decision:
•  Email correspondence between yourself and the FOI team.
•  The content of the documents that fall in scope of your request.
•  The views of the document authors and other relevant facts.
•  The relevant provisions of the FOI Act, specifically sections 22, 47E and 47F.
•  Guidelines issued by the Australian Information Commissioner under s93A of the FOI Act.
Charges
There is no charge for this request.
Review Rights
Section 54 of the FOI Act gives you the right to apply for an internal review of the decision by the ABS.
Section 54L of the FOI Act gives you the right to request a review of this decision by the Information
Commissioner.
Section 70 of the FOI Act provides that a person may make a complaint to the Information Commissioner
about action taken by an agency in the exercise of powers or the performance of functions under the
Act.
Details of these rights are set out at Attachment C.

If you have any queries on this matter, please contact the ABS FOI Contact Officer at
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx.

Yours sincerely,

Annette Kelly
Program Manager
Census Data Operations Branch
Australian Bureau of Statistics

3 November 2025

ATTACHMENT A

FOI2025 26/20
Exemptions/Redactions
Document Number
Release Status
Applied
1
Part Release
S22; S47E; S47F

Document 1
ATTACHMENT B
s47F
s47E
Released under FOI Act
s47F
s47F
s47F

s47E
s47E
Released under FOI Act

s22
Released under FOI Act

ATTACHMENT C

INFORMATION ON RIGHTS OF REVIEW

1.  INTERNAL REVIEW OF DECISION
If you disagree with our decision, you have the right to apply for an internal review under section 54 of
the FOI Act.
Application for a review of the decision must be made within 30 days of receipt of this letter. No
particular form is required but it would assist the decision-maker if you set out in the application
the grounds on which you consider that the decision should be reviewed.
Application for an internal review of the decision should be emailed to
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx or posted to:
ABS FOI Contact Officer
Policy and Legislation Section
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Locked Bag 10
BELCONNEN ACT 2617

2.  AUSTRALIAN INFORMATION COMMISSIONER REVIEW OF DECISION
Section 54L of the Act gives you the right to seek a review of the decision from the Information
Commissioner.  An application for review must be made within 60 days of receiving the decision.
An application for Information Commissioner review of the decision can be made via this online form.
Alternatively, you can apply for Information Commissioner review via email at
xxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx or via post to:
FOI Regulatory Group GPO
Box 5228
SYDNEY  NSW  2001

3.  COMPLAINTS TO THE INFORMATION COMMISSIONER
Section 70 of the Act provides that a person may complain to the Information Commissioner about
action taken by an agency in the exercise of powers or the performance of functions under the Act.
A complaint to the Information Commissioner must be in writing and identify the agency the
complaint is about. You can lodge a complaint to the Information Commissioner via this this
online form. Alternatively, you can lodge your complaint via email to xxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx or via
post to:
FOI Regulatory Group GPO Box
5228
SYDNEY  NSW  2001
The Information Commissioner may decline to investigate the complaint in a number of
circumstances, including that you did not exercise your right to ask the agency, the Information
Commissioner, a court or tribunal to review the decision.

Document Outline