Ref:FOI2016/17‐59




MrRichardSmith

Byemail:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx 




DearMrSmith

FOIrequestconsultation

Werefertoyourrequestof19March2017foraccessundertheFreedomofInformationAct1982(FOI
Act)to,

a)DocumentsrelatingtotheCommonwealthDepartmentofAgriculture'sconsiderationand
decisiontoapplyforongoingaccesstoTelecommunicationsDataasperthe
TELECOMMUNICATIONS(INTERCEPTIONANDACCESS)ACT1979;

b)ThedateofeachApplicationmadebyCommonwealthDepartmentofAgricultureforaccessto
TelecommunicationsDataundertheTELECOMMUNICATIONS(INTERCEPTIONANDACCESS)
ACT1979;

c)DocumentsrelatingtohowCommonwealthDepartmentofAgriculturedealswiththeprivacy
ofdataobtainedthroughaccesstoongoingaccesstoTelecommunicationsDataasper
TELECOMMUNICATIONS(INTERCEPTIONANDACCESS)ACT1979,includinghowthedata
receivedisobtained,assessed,storedandultimatelydestroyed;

d)ThenumberofdocumentscontainingdataobtainedbytheCommonwealthDepartmentof
AgriculturethroughitsongoingaccesstoTelecommunicationData;and

e)ThenumberofdocumentscontainingdataobtainedbytheCommonwealthDepartmentof
AgriculturethroughitsongoingaccesstoTelecommunicationDatathatCouncilhasdetermined
arenotlikelytoberequiredforapermittedpurposeandthereforehasdestroyed,fortheperiod
oftimefromsincethecommencementofongoingaccesstothedatawasgranteduntil17th
March2017.

Unders24AA(1)(a)(b)apracticalrefusalexistswherearequestdoesnotsatisfytherequirementsof
s15(2)(b)oftheFOIActtoprovidesufficientinformationconcerningthedocumentsreasonably
necessaryfortheagencytoidentifythem.Asworded,thedecision‐makerconsidersyourrequestdoes
notsatisfytherequirementsofs15(2)(b).

Thewordinginpartsa)andc)for‘Documentsrelatingto…’doesnotprovidesufficientclarityabout
thedocumentsyouareseeking.Whereyourrequestrefersto‘ThedateofeachApplication….’Inpart
b),itisnotclearwhetheryouareseekingalistofdateinformationonitsownortoinclude
informationaboutanysuchrequests.Whereyourrequestrefersto‘Thenumberofdocuments….’in
partsd)ande)itisnotclearwhetheryouarerequestingthedocumentsthatcontainthespecified
informationoradocumentsummarisingacountofthenumberofsuchdocuments.Withouta
T +61 2 6272 3933 
18 Marcus Clarke Street
GPO Box 858
agriculture.gov.au 
F +61 2 6272 5161 
Canberra City ACT 2601 
Canberra ACT 2601 
ABN 24 113 085 695 

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specifieddaterangeitisunclearwhatperiodoftimeyourrequestisintendedtocover.Further,you
willneedtoclarifywhichbodyyouarereferringtoinreferringto‘thatCouncil’inparte)ofyour
request.

Withoutclarificationthereisinsufficientinformationtoenablethedepartmenttoidentifythe
documents.Unlessthisscopeissueisresolved,thedecisionmakerintendstorefuseyourrequest.
However,youhaveanopportunitytoreviseyourrequesttoaddressthepracticalrefusalreason
beforeafinaldecisionismade.Thisiscalleda‘requestconsultationprocess’assetoutundersection
24ABoftheFOIAct.

Consultationprocess

Youhave14days,fromthereceiptofthisnotice,toconsultwiththedepartmentconcerningyour
request.

Undersub‐section24AB(6)oftheFOIAct,youarerequiredwithinthe14dayperiodto:
  withdrawtherequest
  makearevisedrequest;or
  indicatethatyoudonotwishtorevisetherequest.

Ifyoudonotconsultwiththedepartmentordooneofthesethingswithinthenext14days,your
requestwillbetakentohavebeenwithdrawn.Evenwithconsultation,ifthescopeofyourrequest
cannotbesufficientlyrevisedtoprovideclarityandbeprocessedwithoutrequiringasubstantialand
unreasonablediversionofdepartmentalresourcesfromitsotheroperations,therequestmaybe
refused.YoushouldalsobeawarethattherightofaccesstodocumentsintheFOIActistoexisting
documentsandonlyrequiresagenciestoproducedocumentsinlimitedcircumstances.

Pleasenotethetimeperiodformakingadecisioninresponsetoyourrequestissuspendeduntilthe
conclusionoftheconsultationprocessdescribedinthisletter.

Contactdetails

Shouldyouwishtodiscussanyissuesarisingfromthisletter,pleasecontactthedepartmentbyemail
xxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx.

Yourssincerely


[byemail]


CharineBennett
PrincipalGovernmentLawyer
OfficeoftheGeneralCounsel

24March2017

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