ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra
Dear Australian National University,
Under the FOI Act, I am requesting documentation between ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra. The date range is July 2023 to 23 November 2025.
For these request, please include:
1. All documents, agreements or contracts between ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.
2. Summary of meeting notes between ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.
3. Any and all invoices between ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.
4. Any and all emails, formal correspondence between ANU and the Minister for Education in regards to the Canberra Symphony Orchestra and ANU partnership.
5. List of meetings between ANU Vice chancellor/Provost, chancellor or the Arts and Social Sciences Dean with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra
Yours faithfully,
Zara Evans
Dear Zara,
On 24 November 2025, the Australian National University (the University) received your request for access to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act).
The University has taken your request to be as follows:
“… documentation between ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra. The date range is July 2023 to 23 November 2025.
… please include:
1. All documents, agreements or contracts between ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.
2. Summary of meeting notes between ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.
3. Any and all invoices between ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.
4. Any and all emails, formal correspondence between ANU and the Minister for Education in regards to the Canberra Symphony Orchestra and ANU partnership.
5. List of meetings between ANU Vice chancellor/Provost, chancellor or the Arts and Social Sciences Dean with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra”
Your request has been assigned the case number 202500298.
Processing Timeframe
The statutory time frame for processing your request is 30 calendar days from day after the date your request was received by the University. You should therefore expect a decision from us by Wednesday 24 December 2025.
This period of 30 days may be extended if we need to consult third parties, impose a charge or for other reasons. We will advise you in writing if this happens.
We will contact you using the email address you provided. Please advise if you would prefer us to use an alternative means of contact. If you have any questions regarding your request, please feel free to contact the FOI Team via the functional email [ANU request email].
The FOI Team’s workload is currently at very high levels due to the unprecedented volume of FOI requests.
We are using our best endeavours to process all requests expeditiously however there may be some slippage due to the current workload. We will keep in touch with you and advise if there are any significant delays, and will, if necessary, seek extensions as permitted by the Act.
Yours sincerely,
FOI Team
University Governance Office
The Australian National University
Email: [ANU request email]
Web: https://www.anu.edu.au/freedom-of-inform...
TEQSA Provider ID: PRV12002 (Australian University) | CRICOS Provider Code: 00120C | ABN: 52 234 063 906
-----Original Message-----
From: Zara Evans <[FOI #14030 email]>
Sent: Monday, 24 November 2025 1:46 PM
To: Freedom of Information <[ANU request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra
[You don't often get email from [FOI #14030 email]. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific... ]
Dear Australian National University,
Under the FOI Act, I am requesting documentation between ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra. The date range is July 2023 to 23 November 2025.
For these request, please include:
1. All documents, agreements or contracts between ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.
2. Summary of meeting notes between ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.
3. Any and all invoices between ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.
4. Any and all emails, formal correspondence between ANU and the Minister for Education in regards to the Canberra Symphony Orchestra and ANU partnership.
5. List of meetings between ANU Vice chancellor/Provost, chancellor or the Arts and Social Sciences Dean with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra
Yours faithfully,
Zara Evans
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Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #14030 email]
Is [ANU request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests to Australian National University? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...
This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:
https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...
Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will be delayed.
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
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Dear Zara,
You will receive a similar message for any and all active FOI requests you currently have with the Australian National University (the University). This message relates to the following FOI request 202500298:
“… documentation between ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra. The date range is July 2023 to 23 November 2025.
… please include:
1. All documents, agreements or contracts between ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.
2. Summary of meeting notes between ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.
3. Any and all invoices between ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.
4. Any and all emails, formal correspondence between ANU and the Minister for Education in regards to the Canberra Symphony Orchestra and ANU partnership.
5. List of meetings between ANU Vice chancellor/Provost, chancellor or the Arts and Social Sciences Dean with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra”
This email is to manage your expectations about when you can receive a response to this freedom of information (FOI) request, and advise you of your option to agree to an extension until Friday 23 January 2026 if you so wish.
Please keep in mind that, regardless of whether you agree to an extension or not, your request will still be processed – even though it may technically be considered a ‘deemed refusal’ if we do not meet deadline. Your rights in that regard are pasted below this email’s signature.
Update on your request
As of this email, the University has reached out to several areas of the organisation and located six documents in the search (by the time we make a decision on those documents, they will be reviewed therefore some of those six documents may be deemed to in fact be out of scope of your request. The final number of documents in scope of your request will be communicated to you in the University's decision letter.
The next steps are to review the documents in scope under the FOI Act, and consult with any third party if necessary.
Processing Timeframe
The statutory time frame for processing your request is 30 calendar days from day after the date your request was received by the University – making the current deadline Wednesday 24 December 2025, as advised in our acknowledgement email to you below.
FOI Team Volumes & University Christmas Shutdown Period
Volumes
To manage your expectations, the FOI Team’s workload is currently at very high levels due to the unprecedented volume of FOI requests.
We are using our best endeavours to process all requests expeditiously however there may be some slippage due to the current workload. We will keep in touch with you and advise if there are any significant delays, and will, if necessary, seek extensions as permitted by the Act.
There will also be absences of key staff, not just in the FOI team but across the wider business (e.g. subject matter experts), during this time.
University Christmas Shutdown Period – Option for an Agreed Section 15AA Extension
Over the Christmas and New Year 2025-2026 period, the University will be shut down from Thursday 25 December 2025, re-opening on Monday 5 January 2026.
Taking the above into account, you are therefore welcome to agree to an extension of up to 30 days under s 15AA of the FOI Act until Friday 23 January 2026.
If you do agree, please let us know by way of reply email; we will notify the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner as required.
This extension (only upon agreement with you) would allow us to complete any final actions and considerations on the case and provide you with a comprehensive decision within statutory timeframes.
If you do not agree, that’s fine – we will continue processing your request and issue a decision as soon as practicable – just know that our decision will likely be technically late / a deemed refusal, and be aware of your review rights under our email signature below.
In short, your request is being and will be processed regardless – whether you agree to an extension or not.
If you have any questions or wish to discuss this further, please contact us by way of reply email.
The processing period may also be extended if we need to consult third parties, impose a charge or for other reasons. We will advise you in writing if this happens.
We will contact you using the email address you provided. Please advise if you would prefer us to use an alternative means of contact. If you have any questions regarding your request, please feel free to contact the FOI Team via the functional email [ANU request email].
Yours sincerely,
FOI Team
University Governance Office
The Australian National University
Email: [ANU request email]
Web: https://www.anu.edu.au/freedom-of-inform...
TEQSA Provider ID: PRV12002 (Australian University) | CRICOS Provider Code: 00120C | ABN: 52 234 063 906
Your review rights
If you are dissatisfied with a technical deemed access refusal, you may apply for internal review or Information Commissioner review of the decision. We encourage you to seek internal review as a first step as it may provide a more rapid resolution of your concerns.
Application for Internal Review of Decision Section 54A of the Act, gives you the right to apply for an internal review of any decision – including deemed access refusals.
It must be made in writing within 30 days of receipt of the decision; no particular form is required but it is desirable to set out in the application the grounds on which you consider the decision should be reviewed.
The application should be addressed to Freedom of Information at [ANU request email].
Application for Information Commissioner Review of decision Under section 54L of the FOI Act, you may apply to the Australian Information Commissioner to review any decision – including deemed access refusals. An application must be made in writing within 60 days of the date of this email, and be lodged in one of the following ways:
Form: either online form or downloadable form available at https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor...
Email: [email address]
Post: Director of FOI Dispute Resolution, GPO Box 5288, Sydney NSW 2001
More information is available on the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner website. https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor...
-----Original Message-----
From: Freedom of Information <[ANU request email]>
Sent: Monday, 24 November 2025 10:05 PM
To: 'Zara Evans' <[FOI #14030 email]>
Cc: Freedom of Information <[ANU request email]>
Subject: RE: ANU FOI 202500298 - Acknowledgement - ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra
Dear Zara,
On 24 November 2025, the Australian National University (the University) received your request for access to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act).
The University has taken your request to be as follows:
“… documentation between ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra. The date range is July 2023 to 23 November 2025.
… please include:
1. All documents, agreements or contracts between ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.
2. Summary of meeting notes between ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.
3. Any and all invoices between ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.
4. Any and all emails, formal correspondence between ANU and the Minister for Education in regards to the Canberra Symphony Orchestra and ANU partnership.
5. List of meetings between ANU Vice chancellor/Provost, chancellor or the Arts and Social Sciences Dean with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra”
Your request has been assigned the case number 202500298.
Processing Timeframe
The statutory time frame for processing your request is 30 calendar days from day after the date your request was received by the University. You should therefore expect a decision from us by Wednesday 24 December 2025.
This period of 30 days may be extended if we need to consult third parties, impose a charge or for other reasons. We will advise you in writing if this happens.
We will contact you using the email address you provided. Please advise if you would prefer us to use an alternative means of contact. If you have any questions regarding your request, please feel free to contact the FOI Team via the functional email [ANU request email].
The FOI Team’s workload is currently at very high levels due to the unprecedented volume of FOI requests.
We are using our best endeavours to process all requests expeditiously however there may be some slippage due to the current workload. We will keep in touch with you and advise if there are any significant delays, and will, if necessary, seek extensions as permitted by the Act.
Yours sincerely,
FOI Team
University Governance Office
The Australian National University
Email: [ANU request email]
Web: https://www.anu.edu.au/freedom-of-inform...
TEQSA Provider ID: PRV12002 (Australian University) | CRICOS Provider Code: 00120C | ABN: 52 234 063 906
-----Original Message-----
From: Zara Evans <[FOI #14030 email]>
Sent: Monday, 24 November 2025 1:46 PM
To: Freedom of Information <[ANU request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra
[You don't often get email from [FOI #14030 email]. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific... ]
Dear Australian National University,
Under the FOI Act, I am requesting documentation between ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra. The date range is July 2023 to 23 November 2025.
For these request, please include:
1. All documents, agreements or contracts between ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.
2. Summary of meeting notes between ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.
3. Any and all invoices between ANU and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.
4. Any and all emails, formal correspondence between ANU and the Minister for Education in regards to the Canberra Symphony Orchestra and ANU partnership.
5. List of meetings between ANU Vice chancellor/Provost, chancellor or the Arts and Social Sciences Dean with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra
Yours faithfully,
Zara Evans
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #14030 email]
Is [ANU request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests to Australian National University? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...
This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:
https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...
Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will be delayed.
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
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