Our Reference:  41053/17 
GPO Box 9827 
  
In your capital city 
 
 
www.asic.gov.au 
24 November 2017 
 
 
Mr Phillip Sweeney 
By email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx  
 
 
Dear Mr Sweeney  
 
Freedom of Information Request  
 
We refer to your request for access to documents under the Freedom of Information 
Act 1982 (FOI Act).  
 
I am an officer authorised under section 23(1) of the FOI Act to make decisions in 
relation to FOI requests.  
 
You have requested access to: 
 
"  …  any  correspondence  between  ASIC  and  the  Committee  (or  Committee 
Secretariat) in relation to this Approach to the Commonwealth Ombudsman". 
 
You clarified that: 
 
  The  "Approach"  you  are  referring  to  is  a  complaint  lodged  with  the 
Commonwealth  Ombudsman  in  2011  in  relation  to  the  administration  of 
section 1017C of the Corporations Act 2001; and  
  The relevant search period is from 1 March 2017 to the present. 
 
Decision and reasons for the decision 
 
The documents you have requested do not exist. Your request is refused in line with 
section 24A(1)(b)(ii) of the FOI Act, which provides: 
 
Requests may be refused if documents cannot be found, do not exist or have not 
been received  
 
Document lost or non-existent  
 

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24 November 2017 
 
 
 
(1) An agency or Minister may refuse a request for access to a document if:  
 
(a)  all reasonable steps have been taken to find the document; and  
 
(b) the agency or Minister is satisfied that the document  
 
(i) 
is in the agency's or Minister's possession but cannot be found; 
or  
(ii) 
does not exist.  
 
We have checked our electronic records and we have no records that fall within the 
scope of your request. I am satisfied that the documents do not exist. 
 
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.  
 
Internal review  
 
Under section 54 of the FOI Act, you may apply in writing for an internal review of 
my decision. The internal review application must be made within 30 days of the date 
of this letter. Where possible please attach reasons why you believe review of the 
decision is necessary. The internal review will be carried out by another ASIC officer 
within 30 days.  
 
This request should be addressed to me or to the Senior Manager, Administrative Law 
GPO Box 9827 SYDNEY or by email to xxxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx 
 
Information Commissioner Review  
 
Under section 54N of the FOI Act, you may apply to the Office of the Australian 
Information Commissioner (OAIC) 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.  
 
You may contact the OAIC by post at GPO Box 5218 Sydney NSW 2001, by email at 
xxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx or by telephone on 1300 363 992.  
 
Right to complain  
 
You may lodge a complaint with the OAIC about the conduct of ASIC in the handling 
of this request. You may contact the OAIC as described above.  
 
 
 
 

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24 November 2017 
 
 
 
Questions about this decision  
 
If you have any questions about this letter, please contact me on 03 9280 4638 or by 
email at xxxxxx.xxx@xxxxx.xxx.   
 
Yours sincerely 
 
Lauren Roy  
Authorised decision-maker under subsection 23(1) of the FOI Act 
Australian Securities and Investment Commission 
 
 
 
 
 

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