GPO Box 442 Canberra ACT
Phone 1300 362 072 ▪ ombudsman.act.gov.au
Our ref: AFOI-ER/20/10018
26 October 2020
Ms Vanessa Teague
By email only: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Dear Ms Teague
Freedom of Information – section 42 – extension of time
I am writing to advise you that on 16 October 2020, the ACT Ombudsman received a request from
the ACT Electoral Commission (Commission) for an extension of time to process your access
application.
The Commission has applied for an extension of time under section 42 of the Freedom of Information
Act 2016 (ACT) (FOI Act) on the grounds of exceptional circumstances, namely, the critical time for
the Commission in delivering the 2020 ACT Legislative Assembly Election outcome.
The Commission has requested an extension of time of 14 business days to 13 November 2020.
Under s 42(3) of the FOI Act, the ACT Ombudsman or his delegate, may, on application under
subsection (1), extend the time for a respondent to decide an access application if they believe it is
not reasonably possible for the respondent to deal with the application within the required
timeframes because:
a. the application involves dealing with a large volume of information or
b. the application is complex or
c. there are other exceptional circumstances.
The ACT Ombudsman has considered the information provided by the Commission in support of its
application, and decided to grant the Commission an extension to process your access application to
13 November 2020. This decision has been made under section 42(3)(c) of the FOI Act.
By granting further time, it is anticipated the Commission provide a wel -reasoned and better
managed decision.
Contact
If you have any questions relating to this notice, please contact Benjamin Ackhurst, the case officer
for this matter, at: xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx. Please quote AFOI-ER/20/10018.
Yours sincerely
Suseela Durvasula
Director
ACT Strategy and FOI