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from CYF that was not accepted for investigation), and
(b) The investigation was finalised without charges or a summons or similar, and
3. The document is a substantive summary of the investigation (such as a case note entry), or
4. The document substantively sets out the reason(s) that the investigation was finalised
without charges or similar (such as a case status finalised case note entry, or an email from an
investigator to their supervisor explaining their decision to finalise without charges or similar)
On 16 December 2025, I wrote to you advising that we had combined your requests under section 24(2)
of the FOI Act. In this correspondence I also advised that you request may be too broad to process and
invited you to meaningfully revise your request.
You responded on 17 December 2025 advising that you consider that a PROMIS Case Number does
not identify an individual and agreeing to exclude information that would identify a third-party individual.
I believe that the work involved in processing your request in its current form would substantially and
unreasonably divert the resources of the AFP from its other operations, due to the size and scope of
your request. This is a ‘practical refusal reason’ (section 24AA of the Act).
On this basis, I intend to refuse access to the documents you requested. However, before I make a final
decision, you have an opportunity to revise your request. This is a ‘request consultation process’ in
accordance with section 24AB of the Act.
Why I intend to refuse the request
I have decided that a practical refusal reason exists because:
1.
Clarification would need to be provided by you for the AFP to limit documents and conduct
meaningful searches for “communication”, such as a specific sender/recipient
2.
Clarification would need to be provided by you for the AFP to limit documents and conduct
meaningful searches for “investigations”, such as a Case Officer or involved party
3.
Additional searches for records not already conducted need to be undertaken
4.
I would need to examine each of these documents individually to determine the documents
within the scope of your request make a copy or an edited copy of the documents, and redact
exempt material from the documents,
5.
I would need to potentially consult with any person or body in captured in the request, and
6.
Searching, reviewing and indexing these documents may also substantially and unreasonably
divert the resources of the AFP from its other operations.
Consultation period
This consultation period is for
14 days, commencing the day after the date of this notice. You have an
opportunity to revise your request to enable it to proceed. Before the end of the consultation period, you
must do one of the following in writing:
1.
withdraw the request, or
2.
make a revised request, or
3.
indicate that you do not wish to revise the request.
Potential revision of request
Reducing the scope of your request may involve limiting your request to a list of all PROMIS Case
Numbers for cases considered by Operation Foster
. Once you have received this document, it would
then be open to you to lodge subsequent, more targeted FOI requests
. This suggestion is offered as
guidance only. Should you decide to revise your request, this does not guarantee that the practical
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refusal reason will no longer exist. If it does no longer exist, there is no guarantee that documents will
be released without exemptions applied. These decisions are made when any documents that are the
subject of a request are assessed.
During the consultation period, you may contact me by email at xxx@xxx.xxx.xx. If you revise the request
in a way that adequately addresses the practical refusal grounds, I will recommence processing your
request. 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 the request.
If you do not respond in one of the 3 ways indicated above during the consultation period, your request
will be taken to have been withdrawn.
Yours sincerely,
Libby
Senior FOI Case Officer
Commercial, Governance and Information Branch
Chief Counsel Portfolio
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