ARPANSA Agreement to Accept Radioactive Waste
Dear Department of Health,
I seek access under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 to information regarding communications between the Health Minister's office and the CEO of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) having to do with ARPANSA's responsibilities under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the University of Melbourne and ARPANSA. The MOU was an agreement that involved ARPANSA funding (nearly $1 million) for a project at the university, transfer of radioactive waste from the university to ARPANSA, and indefinite storage of drums of the radioactive waste at ARPANSA's building in Yallambie.
This request is for any correspondence from the CEO ARPANSA that informed the Minister or delegates about the MOU or its aspects, or correspondence to the CEO of ARPANSA regarding the same, including the funds transfer and the radioactive waste storage. This request is for documents created since July 2017 that provide information from/to the CEO of ARPANSA to/from the Minister's office regarding any aspect of this MOU. Documents include emails, letters or reports (such as special, quarterly, annual or reports that fulfill requirements for Senate orders for non procurement contracts or AusTenders).
Yours faithfully,
Anonymous
Dear Anonymous
I refer to your email of 28 August 2020 to the Department of Health
(Department) seeking access under the Freedom of Information Act 1982
(Cth) (FOI Act) to the following:
“access under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 to information regarding
communications between the Health Minister's office and the CEO of the
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) having
to do with ARPANSA's responsibilities under the Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) between the University of Melbourne and ARPANSA. The
MOU was an agreement that involved ARPANSA funding (nearly $1 million) for
a project at the university, transfer of radioactive waste from the
university to ARPANSA, and indefinite storage of drums of the radioactive
waste at ARPANSA's building in Yallambie.
This request is for any correspondence from the CEO ARPANSA that informed
the Minister or delegates about the MOU or its aspects, or correspondence
to the CEO of ARPANSA regarding the same, including the funds transfer and
the radioactive waste storage. This request is for documents created since
July 2017 that provide information from/to the CEO of ARPANSA to/from the
Minister's office regarding any aspect of this MOU. Documents include
emails, letters or reports (such as special, quarterly, annual or reports
that fulfill requirements for Senate orders for non procurement contracts
or AusTenders).”
Your request has been transferred to the Australian Radiation Protection
and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) under section 16 of the FOI Act, as
the subject matter of your request is more closely connected with the
functions of the Agency.
You can contact ARPANSA via email at [1][email address] regarding the
processing of your request.
Kind regards
FOI and Legislation Section
[2]cid:image003.png@01D51610.1D98D220
Legal Advice & Legislation Branch
Legal & Assurance Division | Corporate Operations Group
Australian Government Department of Health
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [3][Health request email]
GPO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of
Australia and their continued connection to land, sea and community. We
pay our respects to all Elders past and present.
If you receive this email in error, please delete it and contact the
sender immediately.
Dear Anonymous
ARPANSA acknowledges receipt of your FOI request seeking access to the
following documents (parts of documents):
“communications between the Health Minister's office and the CEO of
ARPANSA having to do with ARPANSA's responsibilities under the Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) between the University of Melbourne and ARPANSA.
The MOU was an agreement that involved ARPANSA funding (nearly $1 million)
for a project at the university, transfer of radioactive waste from the
university to ARPANSA, and indefinite storage of drums of the radioactive
waste at ARPANSA's building in Yallambie. This request is for any
correspondence from the CEO ARPANSA that informed the Minister or
delegates about the MOU or its aspects, or correspondence to the CEO of
ARPANSA regarding the same, including the funds transfer and the
radioactive waste storage. This request is for documents created since
July 2017 that provide information from/to the CEO of ARPANSA to/from the
Minister's office regarding any aspect of this MOU. Documents include
emails, letters or reports (such as special, quarterly, annual or reports
that fulfil requirements for Senate orders for non-procurement contracts
or AusTenders).”
Any last minutes changes to the text please let me know before I start
organising the comprehensive search for the documents requested.
John Templeton
Privacy and FOI Officer
Office of the General Counsel
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency
+612 95418345
[1][email address]
From: FOI <[email address]>
Sent: Monday, 31 August 2020 12:17 PM
To: '[FOI #6655 email]'
<[FOI #6655 email]>
Cc: FOI <[email address]>
Subject: Freedom of Information Request - Notification of transfer to
another agency [SEC=OFFICIAL]
Dear Anonymous
I refer to your email of 28 August 2020 to the Department of Health
(Department) seeking access under the Freedom of Information Act 1982
(Cth) (FOI Act) to the following:
“access under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 to information regarding
communications between the Health Minister's office and the CEO of the
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) having
to do with ARPANSA's responsibilities under the Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) between the University of Melbourne and ARPANSA. The
MOU was an agreement that involved ARPANSA funding (nearly $1 million) for
a project at the university, transfer of radioactive waste from the
university to ARPANSA, and indefinite storage of drums of the radioactive
waste at ARPANSA's building in Yallambie.
This request is for any correspondence from the CEO ARPANSA that informed
the Minister or delegates about the MOU or its aspects, or correspondence
to the CEO of ARPANSA regarding the same, including the funds transfer and
the radioactive waste storage. This request is for documents created since
July 2017 that provide information from/to the CEO of ARPANSA to/from the
Minister's office regarding any aspect of this MOU. Documents include
emails, letters or reports (such as special, quarterly, annual or reports
that fulfill requirements for Senate orders for non procurement contracts
or AusTenders).”
Your request has been transferred to the Australian Radiation Protection
and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) under section 16 of the FOI Act, as
the subject matter of your request is more closely connected with the
functions of the Agency.
You can contact ARPANSA via email at [2][email address] regarding the
processing of your request.
Kind regards
FOI and Legislation Section
[3]cid:image003.png@01D51610.1D98D220
Legal Advice & Legislation Branch
Legal & Assurance Division | Corporate Operations Group
Australian Government Department of Health
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [4][Health request email]
GPO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of
Australia and their continued connection to land, sea and community. We
pay our respects to all Elders past and present.
If you receive this email in error, please delete it and contact the
sender immediately.
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. mailto:[email address]
4. mailto:[Health request email]
Dear Mr. Templeton (ARPANSA FOI)
It's my desire to define the request narrowly in order to save you time. My request is for existing emails, letters or reports from the CEO ARPANSA to anyone in the Health Minister's office, or from anyone in the Health Minister's office to the CEO ARPANSA, that describe any aspect relating to the MOU. Only documents from July 2017 to the present are of interest.
I encourage use of search tools within your electronic recordkeeping system to save time. Searching terms such as "joint funding", "University of Melbourne", "Memorandum of Understanding", "radium", etc. may be useful. For emails, please limit your search to the CEO's email address and "health.gov.au" email domain in the to, from or cc fields.
Aspects re my request include:
- jointly funding the project
- demolishing building 164 at the University
- remediating the university site
- removing, transporting or storing radium waste
- responding to FoI requests re the MOU
Yours sincerely,
Sun Shine
Dear Dept of Health,
ARPANSA have informed me that no written documentation could be found (letters, emails or reports) indicating the CEO of ARPANSA informed the Health Minister of any aspect relating to the MOU.
Yours sincerely,
Sun Shine
Sun Shine left an annotation ()
This FoI request has been transferred, and will be closed when the new request is acknowledged by ARPANSA.