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2 December 2022 
A Pearce 
BY EMAIL:  xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx 
In reply please quote: 
FOI Request:  FA 22/10/00316 
File Number: 
OBJ2022/26920   
Dear Amy Pearce 
Freedom of Information (FOI) request – Access Decision 
On 5 October 2022, the Department of Home  Affairs (the Department) received a request for 
access to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act). 
The purpose of this letter is to provide you with a decision on your request for access under the 
FOI Act.  
1 
Scope of request 
You have requested access to the following documents: 
I would like to request a list of Accredited Sponsor that are under monitoring status of 
Department of Home Affairs. 
On 13 October 2022 you agreed to revise the scope of your request to the following documents: 
This is for Working and skil ed visas, if needing specifics, it could be Temporary Skil  
Shortage visa (subclass 482). Data range could be all those accredited sponsor under 
monitoring status as at 30 September 2022. 
2 
Authority to make decision 
I am an officer authorised under section 23 of the FOI Act to make decisions in respect of 
requests to access documents or to amend or annotate records. 
3 
Relevant material  
In reaching my decision I referred to the following:  
•  the terms of your request 
•  the FOI Act 
•  Guidelines published by the Office of the Information Commissioner under section 93A 
of the FOI Act (the FOI Guidelines) 
•  advice from Departmental officers with  responsibility for matters relating to the 
documents to which you sought access 
 
6 Chan Street Belconnen ACT 2617 
PO Box 25 Belconnen ACT 2616 • Telephone: 02 6264 1111 • www.homeaffairs.gov.au 
 
 

 
4 
Documents in scope of request 
The Department has undertaken reasonable searches in relation to the documents you have 
requested access to. 
In summary, the searches undertaken by the relevant business areas in relation to your request 
included interrogation of standard record-keeping systems. 
The Department does not hold an existing discrete document that contains the data you are 
seeking. 
The Department has considered whether it can extract the data in accordance with section 17(1) 
of the FOI Act.  
The obligation for retrieving or collating information stored in a computer system arises if: 
•  the Department could produce a written document containing the information using 
a computer or other equipment that is ordinarily available to the agency for retrieving 
or collating stored information, and  
•  producing a written document would not substantially and unreasonably divert the 
resources of the agency from its other operations (s17(2)) 
In Collection Point Pty Ltd v  Commissioner of Taxation the full bench of the Federal Court decided 
that if a new computer program is required to be written to produce the document then a computer 
is not being used in a manner that is ordinarily available to the agency because an extraordinary 
step is required to be taken1. 
To compile the information you have requested into a discrete document would require a manual 
search of  each relevant individual record. This is not what section 17 of the FOI Act requires. 
Section 17 only requires a new document to be created when it  is possible to do so using a 
computer or other equipment to extract data. It  is not possible to generate a document containing 
the information you have requested. 
The data you have requested is of a detail that cannot be reported on from the Department’s 
computer systems. Either the data is not collected to that granular detail, or it is  not possible to 
extract the data using a computer system in a manner that is ordinarily available to it. 
I  am satisfied that the Department is not able to produce a written document containing the 
information you seek in a discrete form using a computer or other equipment ordinarily available 
to it. 
Having regard to your request and the types of documents that may fall within the scope of your 
request, I am satisfied that the searches conducted were thorough and all reasonable steps have 
been taken to locate any document relevant to your request.  
5 
Decision 
Section 24A of the FOI Act provides that the Department may refuse a request for access to a 
document if all  reasonable steps have been taken to find the document and the Department is 
satisfied that the document does not exist. 
                                              
 
 
1 Collection Point Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation [2013] FCAFC  67 [20].   
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I  am  satisfied that the  Department has undertaken reasonable searches in  relation to  your 
request and that no  documents were  in the possession of the Department on 5  October 2022 
when your FOI request was  received. As such, I  am refusing your request based on the 
application of section 24A of the FOI Act.  
6 
Legislation 
A copy of the FOI Act is available at https://www.legislation.gov.au/Series/C2004A02562. If you 
are unable to access the legislation through this website, please contact our office for a copy. 
7 
Your Review Rights 
Internal Review 
If  you disagree with  this decision, you have the right to apply for an internal review by the 
Department of this decision. Any request for internal review must be provided to the Department 
within 30 days of you being notified of the decision. Where possible please attach reasons why 
you believe a review of the decision is necessary. The internal review wil   be carried out by an 
officer other than the original decision maker and the Department must make a review decision 
within 30 days.   
Applications for review should be sent to: 
By email to: xxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx 
OR 
By mail to: 
Freedom of Information Section 
Department of Home Affairs 
PO Box 25 
BELCONNEN   ACT  2617 
Review  by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner 
You may apply directly to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) for a 
review of this decision. You must apply in writing within 60 days of this notice. For further 
information about review rights and how to submit a request for a review to the OAIC, please see 
https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-information/reviews-and-complaints/information-
commissioner-review/.  
8 
Making a Complaint 
You may complain to the Australian Information Commissioner about action taken by the 
Department in relation to your request. 
Your enquiries to the Australian 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 Australian 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 the 
Department of Home Affairs as the relevant agency. 
- 3 – 

 
9 
Contacting the FOI Section 
Should you wish to discuss this decision, please do not hesitate to contact the FOI Section at 
xxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx. 
Yours sincerely 
 
[signed electronically] 
 
Lynette 
Position number - 60025562 
FOI Officer | Freedom of Information Section 
FOI and Records Management Branch | Legal Group 
Department of Home Affairs 
 
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