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This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Copy of M.O.U. on Medical Countermeasures Consortium'.


DEFENCE FOI 043/24/25
STATEMENT OF REASONS UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
1.
I refer to the request by Deborah-May Torrens (the applicant), dated and received on
14 July 2024 by the Department of Defence (Defence), for access to the following documents
under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act):
“…a copy of the M.O.U. signed in 2012, by the Department of Defence and the 
Department of Health and Aged Care, which relates to the 'Medical Countermeasures 
Consortium'.”
FOI decision maker
2.
I am the authorised officer pursuant to section 23 of the FOI Act to make a decision on 
this FOI request.
Documents identified
3.
I have identified one document as falling within the scope of the request. 
Exclusions
4.
Signatures contained in the document that falls within the scope of the FOI request and 
any duplicates of the document are excluded from this request. Defence has only considered 
final versions of documents.
Decision
5.
I have decided to:
a. partially release the document in accordance with section 22 [access to edited 
copies with exempt or irrelevant matter deleted] of the FOI Act, on the grounds 
that the deleted material is considered exempt under section 47E(d) [public 
interest conditional exemptions - certain operations of agencies] of the FOI 
Act; and
b. remove irrelevant material under section 22 of the FOI Act.
Material taken into account
6.
In making my decision, I have had regard to:
a. the terms of the request;
b. the content of the identified document in issue;
c. relevant provisions in the FOI Act; and
d. the Guidelines published by the Office of the Australian Information 
Commissioner under section 93A of the FOI Act (the Guidelines).
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REASONS FOR DECISION 
Section 22 – Access to edited copies with exempt or irrelevant matter deleted 
7. 
Section 22 of the FOI Act permits an agency to prepare and provide an edited copy of a 
document where the agency has decided to refuse access to an exempt document or that to 
give access to a document would disclose information that would reasonably be regarded as 
irrelevant to the request for access.   
8. 
The document being released in part contains exempt and irrelevant material that does 
not relate to the request.  
9. 
I am satisfied that it is reasonably practicable to remove the exempt and irrelevant 
material and release the document to you in an edited form.  
Section 47E(d) – Public interest conditional exemptions – certain operations of agencies  
10.  Section 47E(d) of the FOI Act states: 
A document is conditionally exempt if its disclosure under this Act would, or could 
reasonably be expected to, do any of the following:  
(d)  have a substantial adverse effect on the proper and efficient conduct of the 
operations of the agency. 
11.  The Guidelines, at paragraph 6.115, provide that: 
  The predicted effect must bear on the agency’s ‘proper and efficient’ operations, 
that is, the agency is undertaking its operations in an expected manner. 
12.  In the case of ‘ABK’ and Commonwealth Ombudsman [2022] AICmr 44, the 
Information Commissioner (IC) found that where the direct email addresses and phone 
numbers of agency staff are not publicly known, they should be conditionally exempt under 
section 47E(d). The IC made this determination due to reasonable expectation that the release 
of direct contact details would undermine the operation of established channels of 
communication with the public. Further, the IC accepted that staff who were contacted 
directly could be subject to excessive and abusive communications, which may give rise to 
work health and safety concerns.  
13.  I am satisfied that were the contact details of Defence personnel made publicly 
available, it would have substantial adverse effects on the proper and efficient operation of 
existing public communication channels. Further, I am satisfied of a reasonable expectation 
that the information could be used inappropriately, in a manner which adversely affects the 
health, wellbeing and work of Defence personnel. Disclosure of names, fax and phone 
numbers could therefore, reasonably be expected to prejudice the operations of Defence. 
14.  The Guidelines provide, at paragraph 6.112, that I should consider whether disclosure of 
the information ‘would, or could reasonably be expected to lead to a change in the agency’s 
processes that would enable those processes to be more efficient.’ Given that the direct 
contact details within the document are not publicly available and that more appropriate 
communication channels are already available, I am satisfied that release of the information 
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could reasonably be expected to lead to a change in Defence’s processes that would not lead 
to any efficiencies. 
15.  Accordingly, I am satisfied that all staff information contained within the document is 
conditionally exempt under section 47E(d) of the FOI Act. 
Public interest considerations - section 47E(d) 
16.  Section 11A(5) of the FOI Act states: 
 
The agency or Minister must give the person access to the document if it is 
conditionally exempt at a particular time unless (in the circumstances) 
access to the document at that time would, on balance, be contrary to the 
public interest.  
17.  I have considered the factors favouring disclosure as set out in section 11B(3) [factors 
favouring access] of the FOI Act. The relevant factors being whether access to the document 
would: 
(a) promote the objects of this Act (including all the matters set out in 
sections 3 and 3A); 
(b) inform debate on a matter of public importance; 
(c) promote effective oversight of public expenditure. 
18.  In my view, disclosure of this information would not increase public participation in the 
Defence process (section 3(2)(a) of the FOI Act), nor would it increase scrutiny or discussion 
of Defence activities (section 3(2)(b) of the FOI Act). 
19.  Paragraph 6.233 of the Guidelines specifies a non-exhaustive list of public interest 
factors against disclosure. The factors I find particularly relevant to this request are that 
release of this information could reasonably be expected to prejudice:  
x  the protection of an individual’s right to privacy;  
x  the interests of an individual or a group of individuals; and 
x  the management and personnel management function of an agency. 
20.  It is in the public interest that Defence efficiently and productively operates with regard 
for the health and wellbeing of its personnel. As I have established above, the release of the 
direct contact details of Defence personnel can reasonably be expected to prejudice the 
management and personnel management functions of Defence. Existing communication 
channels and processes enable efficient and appropriate liaison with the public. The direct 
contact details of Defence personnel should, therefore, not be disclosed, as the public interest 
against their disclosure outweighs the public interest in their release.  
21.  I have not taken any of the factors listed in section 11B(4) [irrelevant factors] of the FOI 
Act into account when making this decision. 
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22.  I am satisfied, based on the above particulars, the public interest factors against 
disclosure outweigh the factors for disclosure, and that, on balance, it is against the public 
interest to release the information to you. Accordingly, I find that the information is exempt 
under section 47E(d) of the FOI Act. 
 
Digitally signed by 
  Richard 
Richard 
  BARTHOLOMEU BARTHOLOMEUSZ 
 
Date: 2024.08.13 18:53:55 
  SZ
+10'00'
 
Richard Bartholomeusz 
Accredited Decision Maker 
Defence Science and Technology Group 
Department of Defence