Dear Mr. Templeton (ARPANSA FoI),

This is my request dated 28 August 2020 that was transferred to you from the 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)."

ARPANSA acknowledged receipt of my FOI request on 31 August 2020. I then provided the following clarifying remarks:

"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 of 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 Mr Templeton,

Thank you for your timely response.

The MOU was an agreement from December 2017 that resulted in ARPANSA funding (nearly $1 million) a project at the University of Melbourne, the transfer of radioactive waste from the university to ARPANSA, and the indefinite storage of drums of the radioactive waste at ARPANSA's building in Yallambie."

I understand that you were unable to find any written documentation (letters, emails or reports) that indicates the CEO of ARPANSA informed the Health Minister of any aspect relating to the MOU.

Yours sincerely,
Sun Shine