EMails from OVC to all members of the ANU Council
Dear Australian National University,
I am requesting all emails between the Office of the Vice-Chancellor to all members of the ANU Council from 17 July 2023 to 18 December 2023. Please include only one copy of the email (not a copy of each email sent to all members if they are all on the same email trail).
Yours faithfully,
Josh Phillips
Dear Josh,
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:
“… all emails between the Office of the Vice-Chancellor to all members of the ANU Council from 17 July 2023 to 18 December 2023. Please include only one copy of the email (not a copy of each email sent to all members if they are all on the same email trail).”
Your request has been assigned the case number 202500301.
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
Dear Josh,
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 202500301:
“… all emails between the Office of the Vice-Chancellor to all members of the ANU Council from 17 July 2023 to 18 December 2023. Please include only one copy of the email (not a copy of each email sent to all members if they are all on the same email trail).”
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.
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...
Dear Josh,
Please find attached correspondence relating to your FOI request 202500301.
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
Dear Australian National University,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Australian National University's handling of my FOI request 'EMails from OVC to all members of the ANU Council'. I am concerned that an appropriate search was not undertaken as it seems highly unlikely that neither VC Schmidt, nor his Chief of Staff, Senior Advisors, OVC staff or other OVC admin support roles wrote a single email to the ANU Council in a six month period.
As with other requests on this site, requests for information appear to be routinely blocked, redacted inappropriately or searches not undertaken in line with the FOI act. I request an internal review to verify that a proper search for documents has been conducted.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/e...
Yours faithfully,
Josh Phillips
Thank you for your email. Please note: the University is closed for the
holiday period and will re-open on Monday, 5 January 2026.
This shutdown period and staff absences may affect the processing of FOI
applications. Where the timelines are impacted, we will liaise with
applicants to discuss an s15AA extension of time agreement. Any
applications lodged online during the shutdown period will be responded to
when the University reopens.
Kind Regards,
ANU FOI Office
The Australian National University, ACT, 2600
CRICOS Provider #00120C
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