This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Rollout THORNLANDS 4164 QLD'.


  
 
12 November 2014 
 
Megalfar  
Sent via email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx 
 
 
 
 
Our Ref: 1415/26 
 
Dear Megalfar, 
 
FOI Application – Detailed design and field inspection work for Thornlands 
 
I am writing in relation to your request made under the Freedom of Information Act, 1982 (the FOI Act). In particular you were 
seeking access to: 
 
“a document outlining the expected approximate commencement, and/or any announcement of date for "detailed 
design and field inspection work" for work related in THORNLANDS (NON-GREENFIELD) estates. Or any information 

regarding rollout in THORNLANDS QLD 4164.” 
 
Acknowledgment of Application 

NBN Co received your request on 9 November 2014 and the period for processing your request commenced from the day after 
that date. For your reference, the statutory period for processing an FOI request is 30 days. However, in this case we will be 
undertaking a request consultation process with you as aspects of your FOI request are unclear and other aspects of your 
request, in our view, amount to an unreasonable diversion of NBN Co resources for the reasons set out below. This will impact 
the period for processing your FOI request.  
 
Scope of FOI Application  
As set out above, your FOI application indicates that you are seeking access to “a document outlining the expected 
approximate commencement, and/or any announcement of date for “detailed design and field inspection work” for work related 
in Thornlands estates”. It is unclear to us what it meant by this request. Are you instead seeking a document outlining the actual 
date for which contract instructions were issued for “detailed design and field inspection work” in Thornlands? If so, I would 
invite you to contact the writer on the number below to confirm this. 
 
I also note that you are also seeking “any information regarding rollout in THORNLANDS QLD 4164”. Due to the breadth of this 
request, this aspect of your request would require extensive searches across many NBN Co business units. It will require NBN 
Co to undertake a review of the email accounts of a significant number of employees. NBN Co’s IT Group would be required to 
create a set of data cubes which would need to be searched, culled for relevance and organised. Relevant executives and 
senior managers of NBN Co would also need to be involved in consideration of the documentation, which would be a significant 
interference with the performance of their usual responsibilities.  
 
Please also be aware that processing charges may be imposed in relation to your FOI application. In that regard, I would refer 
you to NBN Co’s FOI processing charges policy, which is outlined at the following hyperlink: Submission to the OAIC Charges 
Review. In particular, NBN Co supports – and will generally apply – Recommendation 24 in the Hawke Review into FOI 
Legislation, (
the Hawke Review), which suggests a 40-hour ceiling for all FOI processing charges.  
 
In light of the volume of documents, I am of the opinion that it would be an unreasonable diversion of NBN Co’s resources to 
commence the processing of this FOI application in its current form. In that regard, I am relying upon sections 24 and 24AA of 
the FOI Act. 
 
PHONE 
(02) 9926 1900 
FAX 
(02) 9926 1901 
EMAIL 
xxxx@xxxxx.xxx.xx 
WEB 
www.nbnco.com.au 
LEVEL 11, 100 ARTHUR STREET, NORTH SYDNEY NSW 2060 
NBN Co Limited   ACN 136 533 741   © NBN Co 2013  
  

  
Request Consultation Process 
Section 24 of the FOI Act requires NBN Co to undertake a request consultation process before issuing a notice to refuse 
access. Before issuing a refusal notice, section 24AB of the FOI Act requires Government authorities to provide applicants with 
written notice stating their intention to refuse access and to initiate a request consultation process. In that context, I request that 
you review the scope of your FOI request and notify the writer by 26 November 2014 as to whether you wish to:  
 
  withdraw the request; or  
  make revised request; or  
  not revise the request.  
 
If you have not notified the writer by the above-mentioned date, NBN Co will consider that this application has been withdrawn 
as per section 24AB(6) of the FOI Act. In accordance with section 24AB(8) of the FOI Act, the time taken to consult with you 
regarding the scope of a request is not taken into account when calculating the 30-day statutory time limit for processing FOI 
applications. In addition, I would invite you to telephone the writer on the number below to discuss or clarify the terms of this 
FOI application. 
 
NBN Co’s Commercial Activities  
In addition to the section 24 issues, there is a strong possibility that many of the documents within the scope of this request 
would relate to NBN Co’s commercial activities and would not be subject to the operation of the Act. In that regard, I refer you to 
section 7(3A) and Part II of Schedule 2 of the FOI Act, which outlines the scope of NBN Co’s commercial activities exemption 
(the CAE). For your reference, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (the OAIC) completed a review decision 
in January 2012 (the Internode Decision), which provides background and guidance as to the application of the CAE to NBN 
Co. The Internode Decision may be found by clicking on the following link. The OAIC completed an additional review at the end 
of July 2013 – the Battersby Decision, which further clarified the scope of NBN Co’s CAE. While I am not making a formal 
decision nor have I begun a review of relevant documents, there is a possibility that documents falling within the terms of this 
FOI request may be subject to the CAE and other exemptions from release under the FOI Act.  
 
I also wanted to draw your attention to a recent decision NBN Co issued which related to a similar request for "instructions to 
commence detailed design and inspection work" found at 
https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/664/response/2484/attach/3/19A.Final%20Access%20Decision.pdf.  While I am not 
making a determination nor have I examined the relevant documents in connection to your request, I thought it might be helpful 
for you to understand the reasons given for not releasing those documents in that instance. 
 
Disclosure Log Notification 
 
In accordance with the FOI Act, NBN Co is required to publish documents provided to FOI applicants within 10 working days 
after release. The information you seek may be published in full (as released to you) or with some additional redactions as per 
section 11C of the FOI Act. For further information, visit our Disclosure Log on NBN Co’s website. 
 
If you have any questions or need to discuss your FOI application, please feel free to contact the writer on Tel. 8918 5655 or via 
email on xxxxx@xxxxx.xxx.xx. 
 
Sincerely,  
 
 
 
An Vo 

Associate Legal Counsel FOI, Privacy & Knowledge Mgmnt 
PHONE 
(02) 9926 1900 
FAX 
(02) 9926 1901 
PAGE 
2 
EMAIL 
xxxx@xxxxx.xxx.xx 
WEB 
www.nbnco.com.au 
LEVEL 11, 100 ARTHUR STREET, NORTH SYDNEY NSW 2060 
NBN Co Limited   ACN 136 533 741   © NBN Co 2013