This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'CSIRO and Wuhan Institute of Virology'.

CSIRO 
csiro.au  
xxx@xxxxx.xx  
ABN 41 687 119 230 
 
14 September 2021 
 
Our ref: FOI2021/36 
 
 
Right to Know 
Attention: Jaay-H 
 
Via Email: Jaay-H xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx   
 
Dear Jaay-H 
 
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST – DECISION FOI2021/36 
 
I refer to your request of 16 August 2021, under which you sought access under the Freedom of 
Information Act 1982 
(FOI Act) to:  
 
“Australian media recently stated: "it was revealed CSIRO and Australian universities have participated 
in at least ten joint projects with the Wuhan Institute of virology over the last decade."…. 

 
I hereby request a copy of a document that lists the titles, authors and abstracts for each of the joint 
research projects involving the CSIRO and the Wuhan Institute of Virology.” 

 
Decision maker 
 
I am an authorised decision maker under section 23 of the FOI Act. This letter sets out my decision 
and reasons for the decision in relation to your request.  
 
Decision  
 
1. CSIRO has been unable to identify the document requested.  I must therefore refuse access, 
pursuant to section 24A of the FOI Act on the basis that the document sought do not exist or 
cannot be found.   
 
2. I do however advise that CSIRO has publicly responded to the article which you cite in your 
application: https://www.csiro.au/en/news/News-releases/2021/Response-to-The-Australian-25-
June-2021.
 
 
3. I also draw your attention to the following answer to a question taken on notice from the 
Australian Senate’s Economics Legislation Committee Senate Estimates hearings: 
https://www.aph.gov.au/api/qon/downloadestimatesquestions/EstimatesQuestion-CommitteeId3-
EstimatesRoundId11-PortfolioId34-QuestionNumber74 

 
CSIRO  
Australia’s National Science Agency   

I hope that the responses above may satisfy all, or a significant part, of your request.  
 
In  relation  to  point  1,  I  refer  you  to  paragraph  3.85  of  the  Office  of  the  Australian  Information 
Commissioner’s FOI Guidelines: 
 
An agency or minister may refuse a request if it has taken ‘all reasonable steps’ to find the 
document requested, and is satisfied that the document cannot be found or does not exist 
(s 24A(1)). There are two elements that must be established before an agency or minister 
can refuse a request for access to a document under s 24A: 
 
•  the agency or minister must have taken all reasonable steps to find the document, 
and 
•  the agency or minister is satisfied that the document cannot be found or does not 
exist. 
 
Further the OAIC Guidelines provide at paragraph 3.202 that the FOI Act ‘gives a legally enforceable 
right  of  access  to  documents  that  already  exist,  and  an  agency  is  not  required  to  create  a  new 
document to satisfy an FOI request’ (added emphasis). 
 
 
Searches conducted 
 
Searches were conducted by relevant CSIRO staff and it was confirmed that CSIRO does not hold a 
document that matches the scope of your request.  
 
I am satisfied that CSIRO has undertaken all reasonable steps to find the document in question and 
on that basis, I am satisfied that the document requested does not exist, but note as indicated in 
points 2 and 3, that this information may satisfy all, or a significant part, of your request.  
 
Rights of Review 
 
In accordance with section 26(1)(c) of the FOI Act, a statement setting out your rights of review 
under the Act is at Attachment A. Since my decision is that no documents exist, an application for 
review  would  be  limited  to  a  situation  where  you  consider  that  I  have  not  identified  all  the 
documents in the CSIRO’s possession that are relevant to your request. 
 
Yours sincerely, 
 
 
 
 
Stephen Jones 
Legal Counsel  
CSIRO 
 
 

 
CSIRO  
Australia’s National Science Agency   

Attachment A 
 
Review rights 
 
You are entitled to seek review of this decision.   
 
Internal Review 
 
Firstly, under section 54 of the FOI Act, you may apply for an internal review of the decision. Your 
application must be made by whichever date is the later between: 
 
30 days of you receiving this notice; or 15 days of you receiving the documents to which you have 
been granted access. 
 
An internal review will be conducted by a different officer from the original decision-maker.  No 
particular form is required to apply for review although it will assist your case to set out in the 
application the grounds on which you believe that the original decision should be overturned.  An 
application for a review of the decision should be addressed to: 
 
FOI Coordinator, 
xxx@xxxxx.xx  
 
If you choose to seek an internal review, you will subsequently have a right to apply to the 
Australian Information Commissioner for a review of the internal review decision. 
 
External review by the Australian Information Commissioner 
 
Alternatively, under 54L of the FOI Act, you may seek review of this decision by the Australian 
Information Commissioner without first going to internal review.  Your application must be made 
within 60 days of you receiving this notice. 
 
The Information Commissioner is an independent office holder who may review decisions of 
agencies and Ministers under the FOI Act.  More information is available on the Information 
Commissioner's website www.oaic.gov.au.  
 
You can contact the Information Commissioner to request a review of a decision online or by 
writing to the Information Commissioner at: 
 
GPO Box 2999 
Canberra ACT 2601 
 
Complaints to Ombudsman or Information Commissioner 
 
You may complain to either the Commonwealth Ombudsman or the Information Commissioner 
about action taken by CSIRO in relation to the application.  The Ombudsman will consult with the 
Information Commissioner before investigating a complaint about the handling of an FOI request. 
 
Your enquiries to the Ombudsman can be directed to: 
CSIRO  
Australia’s National Science Agency   

 
Phone 1300 362 072 (local call charge) 
 
Email xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx 
 
Your enquiries to the Information Commissioner can be directed to: 
 
Phone 1300 363 992 (local call charge) 
 
Email  xxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx 
 
There is no particular form required to make a complaint to the Ombudsman or the Information 
Commissioner.  The request should be in writing and should set out the grounds on which it is 
considered that the action taken in relation to the request should be investigated and identify 
CSIRO as the relevant agency. 
 
 
 
CSIRO  
Australia’s National Science Agency