23 January 2015
Pinar Yilmaz
By email
: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Dear Pinar Yilmaz
FOI REQUEST - REFERENCE NUMBER 2015-001
I refer to my letter of 14 January 2015 which contained my decision in this matter regarding your
request for access to documents under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act), and your
subsequent email of 15 January 2015.
I note that your email sought to clarify your request for access to the following:
“I am after if there is a specific policy, or an "understanding" at ABC to cover the event of
1915 and/or the alleged "Armenian Genocide" in a specific way. This can be a board
resolution, a briefing, a request to a reporter or any other written correspondence within ABC.”
I have consulted further with the ABC’s Head of Editorial Policies regarding your request and the
existence of any documents. I have been informed that the
ABC Editorial Policies set out the editorial
and ethical principles that guide decision making about coverage of issues and events. The
ABC
Editorial Policies and associated Guidance Notes are publicly available on the ABC’s website here:
http://about.abc.net.au/how-the-abc-is-run/what-guides-us/our-editorial-policies/. I am satisfied that no
other relevant documents exist.
As set out in my decision, any documents which may relate to news or current affairs coverage,
including documents produced as part of any research or investigation into stories for potential
broadcast or publication, would be considered ‘program material’ and therefore outside the scope of
the FOI Act.
If you are dissatisfied with this outcome you can apply for Internal or Information Commissioner (IC)
Review. You do not have to apply for Internal Review before seeking IC Review. Information about
your review rights is attached.
Yours sincerely
Judith Maude
Head, Corporate Governance
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