This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Evidence of Criminal Conduct by Nicole Smith Chairman of NULIS'.


Australian Securities 
and Investments Commission 

Level 7, 120 Col ins Street, 
Melbourne VIC 3000 
GPO Box 9827, 
Melbourne VIC 3001 
Tel: +61 1300 935 075 
Fax: +61 1300 729 000 
www.asic.gov.au 
Our reference: 
27356/18
 
 
7 December 2018 
 
 
Mr Phil ip Sweeney 
By email – xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx  
 
 
Dear Mr Sweeney 
 
Freedom of information request – notice of charge decision 
 
We refer to your email dated 26 November 2018 in which you requested a waiver of 
a charge pursuant to section 29(5)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI 
Act
), on the grounds payment of the charge would cause you financial hardship. 
 
On 30 November 2018, we wrote to you and requested evidence of financial 
hardship to support your claim for waiver. We asked you to respond by 5 December 
2018, noting we intended to make our decision by 7 December 2018, in anticipation 
of ASIC’s shutdown period between Christmas and New Year. We have not received 
your response. 
 
I am an officer authorised under section 23(1) of the FOI Act to make decisions in 
relation to FOI requests. I have decided under section 29(4) not to vary the original 
assessment of the charge. The amount you are liable to pay is $15. 
 
The reasons for my decision under section 29(4) are set out below. 
 
Reasons for my decision 
 
In the absence of evidence of financial hardship to support your claim for waiver, I 
consider that the payment of a charge of $15, or part of it, would not cause financial 
hardship to you as the applicant. I acknowledge you claim to be victim of fraud and 
the conduct has impacted you financial y. 
 
I do not consider giving access to the document in question is in the general public 
interest or in the interest of a substantial section of the public. The document in 
question relates to your longstanding private dispute and attempts to expose 
fraudulent conduct you al ege by the trustees of a regulated superannuation fund. 
 
Furthermore, I do not consider that disclosure of the document would advance the 
objects of the FOI Act. I do not consider that disclosure of the document would 
promote better informed decision making or increase scrutiny or discussion of the 
Government’s activities. 
 


Your review rights 
 
If you are dissatisfied with my decision in relation to the charge, 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 and can be addressed to the Senior Manager – Administrative Law by post 
at GPO Box 9827 SYDNEY or email at xxxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx.  
 
Where possible, please attach reasons why you believe review of the decision is 
necessary. The internal review wil  be carried out by another officer within 30 days. 
 
Information Commissioner review 
 
Under section 54L of the FOI Act, you may apply directly to the Information 
Commissioner 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, and be 
lodged in one of the fol owing ways: 
 
online:  
https://forms.business.gov.au/aba/oaic/foi-review-/  
 
post:   
GPO Box 2999, Canberra ACT 2601 
 
fax:  
 
02 9284 9666 
 
in person:  
Level 3, 175 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 
 
Next steps in processing your request 
 
In accordance with section 31 of the FOI Act, the 30-day time limit is suspended from 
the date you were notified of the charge until the earliest occurring of the fol owing 
days: 
•  The day you pay the amount of the charge 
•  If the amount of the charge is changed fol owing review under the FOI Act – 
the day you pay the revised charge 
•  If, fol owing review under the FOI Act, a decision is made not to impose a 
charge – the day you are notified of that decision. 
 
Right to complain 
 
You may lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner in relation to the 
conduct of ASIC in the handling of your request. You may contact the Information 
Commissioner as described above. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 




Questions about this decision 
 
If you have any questions of wish to discuss this decision with us, please contact Ms 
Faranaz Alam on 03 9280 3319 or by email at xxxxxxx.xxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx.  
 
Yours sincerely 
 
 
David Asadi 
Authorised decision-maker under subsection 23(1) FOI Act 
Australian Securities and Investments Commission