Recruitment Processes — Fanner and Polita
Dear Australian National University,
I request access to all documents, whether formal or informal, relating to the recruitment and appointment of Mr Steven Fanner and Ms Marina Polita within the Media and Communications and Government Relations portfolios for the period 1 January 2024 to present.
This includes, but is not limited to:
- Emails, text messages, Signal messages, other encrypted or instant messaging (e.g. WhatsApp, Teams chat), handwritten notes, meeting agendas and minutes, recruitment papers, position descriptions, approvals and justifications relating to:
- Mr Fanner’s appointment as interim Chief Media and Communications Officer
- The recruitment and appointment of Ms Shannon Kenna as Chief Media and Communications Officer
- Decisions, approvals or correspondence about Mr Fanner’s subsequent appointment as Senior Advisor
- The engagement of Ms Marina Polita as Head of Government Relations, including any rationale for not undertaking a competitive recruitment process
- Any documents provided to or generated by the Recruitment Approval Committee (RAC) in relation to these appointments
- Any communications between the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Louise Adena, Genevieve Bell, Human Resources, the RAC or other relevant parties discussing these appointments and any exemptions from standard recruitment processes.
Yours faithfully,
Lucky Charm
Good afternoon
On 23 June 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:
‘I request access to all documents, whether formal or informal, relating
to the recruitment and appointment of Mr Steven Fanner and Ms Marina
Polita within the Media and Communications and Government Relations
portfolios for the period 1 January 2024 to present.
This includes, but is not limited to:
- Emails, text messages, Signal messages, other encrypted or instant
messaging (e.g. WhatsApp, Teams chat), handwritten notes, meeting agendas
and minutes, recruitment papers, position descriptions, approvals and
justifications relating to:
- Mr Fanner’s appointment as interim Chief Media and Communications
Officer
- The recruitment and appointment of Ms Shannon Kenna as Chief Media and
Communications Officer
- Decisions, approvals or correspondence about Mr Fanner’s subsequent
appointment as Senior Advisor
- The engagement of Ms Marina Polita as Head of Government Relations,
including any rationale for not undertaking a competitive recruitment
process
- Any documents provided to or generated by the Recruitment Approval
Committee (RAC) in relation to these appointments
- Any communications between the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Louise
Adena, Genevieve Bell, Human Resources, the RAC or other relevant parties
discussing these appointments and any exemptions from standard recruitment
processes’.
Your request has been assigned the case number 202500129.
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 23 July 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 [1][ANU request email].
The FOI Team’s workload is currently at very high levels due the
unprecedented volume of FOI requests.
We are using our best endeavors 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
Scholarly Information Services
The Australian National University
Email: [2][ANU request email]
Web: [3]https://www.anu.edu.au/freedom-of-inform...
TEQSA Provider ID: PRV12002 (Australian University) | CRICOS Provider
Code: 00120C | ABN: 52 234 063 906
FOI Team
Scholarly Information Services
The Australian National University
Email: [4][ANU request email]
Web [5]http://universityrecords.anu.edu.au/
CRICOS Provider #00120C
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[ANU request email]
2. mailto:[ANU request email]
mailto:[ANU request email]
3. https://www.anu.edu.au/freedom-of-inform...
https://www.anu.edu.au/freedom-of-inform...
4. mailto:[ANU request email]
5. http://universityrecords.anu.edu.au/
Good morning ,
I refer to your request for access to documents under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 as follows:
“I request access to all documents, whether formal or informal, relating
to the recruitment and appointment of Mr Steven Fanner and Ms Marina
Polita within the Media and Communications and Government Relations
portfolios for the period 1 January 2024 to present.
This includes, but is not limited to:
- Emails, text messages, Signal messages, other encrypted or instant
messaging (e.g. WhatsApp, Teams chat), handwritten notes, meeting agendas
and minutes, recruitment papers, position descriptions, approvals and
justifications relating to:
- Mr Fanner’s appointment as interim Chief Media and Communications
Officer
- The recruitment and appointment of Ms Shannon Kenna as Chief Media and
Communications Officer
- Decisions, approvals or correspondence about Mr Fanner’s subsequent
appointment as Senior Advisor
- The engagement of Ms Marina Polita as Head of Government Relations,
including any rationale for not undertaking a competitive recruitment
process
- Any documents provided to or generated by the Recruitment Approval
Committee (RAC) in relation to these appointments
- Any communications between the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Louise
Adena, Genevieve Bell, Human Resources, the RAC or other relevant parties
discussing these appointments and any exemptions from standard recruitment
processes.
As a result of searches conducted a number of documents have been
identified as relevant to your request. On reviewing documents relating to
your request, it has been determined that some of the documents contain
business information relating to an external body . Accordingly, the
University is required to consult with that agency (under section 27 of
the FOI Act) before making a decision on the release of the documents.
The consultation mechanism under section 27 applies when we believe the
organisation/agency concerned might reasonably wish to contend that the
requested documents are exempt because their release would disclose
business information about the business, commercial or financial affairs
of the organisation concerned.
Accordingly, the period for processing your request has been extended by a
further 30 days in order to allow our agency time to consult with the
organisation concerned. The processing period for your request will now
end on 23 August 2025.
Yours sincerely
From: Freedom of Information
Sent: Friday, August 8, 2025 1:59 PM
To: [FOI #13319 email].
Subject: FOI Request 202500129
Dear Lucky Charm
We refer to the above [email address]
We are currently undertaking searches. In the course of those searches it
has become apparent that there will be a necessity to consult with third
parties in relation to the release of personal information.
Accordingly, pursuant to s. 15(6) of the FOI Act, the time for responding
to the request is extended by a further 30 days. This means the response
is due by 22 August 2025.
Regards
ANU FOI Team
Dear Lucky Charm,
We attach a letter about the above request.
Regards,
ANU Freedom Of Information Unit
E: [1][ANU request email]
Web: [2]https://www.anu.edu.au/freedom-of-inform...
TEQSA Provider ID: PRV12002 (Australian University) | CRICOS Provider
Code: 00120C | ABN: 52 234 063 906
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[ANU request email]
2. https://www.anu.edu.au/freedom-of-inform...
https://www.anu.edu.au/freedom-of-inform...