Information regarding Scientific Advice relating to water quality and reef protection provided to Minister of Environment & Energy in period 1 January 2017 to 30th April 2018
Richard Smith made this Freedom of Information request to Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
This request has been closed to new correspondence from the public body. Contact us if you think it ought be re-opened.
Dear Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation,
I refer to the grant by the Commonwealth of monies of approximately $443 million to the privately run Great Barrier Reef Foundation in April 2018.
The Minister for the Environment and Energy at the time was quoted in the ABC (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-29/gr... as saying:
"Millions of dollars will go into science and to better data management and to be able to test the impacts on the reef," Mr Frydenberg said.
"We are looking at a whole range of new initiatives, taking best advice of the experts, working closely with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to ensure that the reef has its best chance into the future."
Most Australian's would consider the CSIRO to be an organisation harbouring the foremost experts on not only the Great Barrier Reef but also it's protection, conservation and restoration.
Considering the Minister has mentioned publically that he was taking the best advice of the "experts" and that he had worked closely with the Great Barrier Marine Park Authority, there is great public interest in what form that "best advice of the experts" was.
I therefore request the following Government Information documents:
a) Documents relating to advice provided by the CSIRO in the period 1 January 2017 to 30th April 2018 to the Minister of Environment and Energy, or representatives of the Minister's office regarding initiatives to protect the Great Barrier Reef; and
b) Documents relating to the CSIRO's scientific and conservation management policy in regards to the Great Barrier Reef in force as at 1st March 2018; and
c) Documents relating to the CSIRO's policy in force as at 1st March 2018 on funding scientific, conservation or restoration activities, research and grants specifically focused on the Great Barrier Reef; and
d) Documents relating to any request for information from the Minister of Environment and Energy, or representatives of the Minister's office to the CSIRO regarding scientific, conservation, restoration or data management of the Great Barrier Reef in the period 1 January 2017 to 30th April 2018.
If this can be answered as informal request, please do so.
Otherwise, please proceed with this as a formal request under the Freedom of Information principles & framework, i.e. the Freedom of Information Act 1982 & other associated guidelines and regulations.
Yours faithfully,
Richard Smith
Dear Mr Smith
Please refer to the attached correspondence acknowledging receipt of your
freedom of information request.
Kind regards
Karen Robinson
FOI Administrative Officer, CSIRO
Phone: +61 2 6276 6431
[1][email address] | [2]www.csiro.au
Address: Black Mountain Science and Innovation Park
Clunies Ross Street Black Mountain ACT 2601
Postal Address: GPO Box 1700, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
My working hours are 9.30am to 3:00pm Monday to Thursday
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Dear Mr Smith,
Thank you for your request, I note given the volume of material I am writing to seek your agreement to a s 15AA extension.
Under s 15AA of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) you can agree to up to 30 days, noting I am seeking a 10 day extension.
Would you agree to a further 10 days for CSIRO to process your request? The new due date would be 15 November 2018.
Please do let me know.
Kind regards,
Beth Maloney
Senior Legal Counsel, CSIRO
Please note I work part time, I am in the office on Monday,Thursday and Friday only.
Phone: +612 6276 6436 | [mobile number]
[email address] | www.csiro.au
Address: CSIRO Corporate Centre
GPO Box 1700, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
PLEASE NOTE
The information contained in this email may be confidential or privileged. Any unauthorised use or disclosure is prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please delete it immediately and notify the sender by return email. Thank you. To the extent permitted by law, CSIRO does not represent, warrant and/or guarantee that the integrity of this communication has been maintained or that the communication is free of errors, virus, interception or interference.
Please consider the environment before printing this email.
Dear Ms Maloney,
Thank you for your reply of 29th October.
I do not object to the CSIRO's request for an extension of 10 days in order to assist it to process my request for government information.
I look forward to hearing from the CSIRO by the new due date of 15 November 2018.
Yours faithfully,
Richard Smith
Dear Mr Smith,
Thank you very much for agreeing to an extension of time.
It is very much appreciated.
Kind regards,
Beth Maloney
Senior Legal Counsel, CSIRO
Please note I work part time, I am in the office on Monday,Thursday and Friday only.
Phone: +612 6276 6436 | [mobile number]
[email address] | www.csiro.au
Address: CSIRO Corporate Centre
GPO Box 1700, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
PLEASE NOTE
The information contained in this email may be confidential or privileged. Any unauthorised use or disclosure is prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please delete it immediately and notify the sender by return email. Thank you. To the extent permitted by law, CSIRO does not represent, warrant and/or guarantee that the integrity of this communication has been maintained or that the communication is free of errors, virus, interception or interference.
Please consider the environment before printing this email.
Our ref: FOI 2018/61
Dear Mr Smith,
I have finalised the review of the material early than expected. I note,
none of the documents were relevant to the scope of your request.
I therefore issue, the attached decision.
Thank you for your patience.
Kind regards,
Beth Maloney
Senior Legal Counsel, CSIRO
Please note I work part time, I am in the office on Monday,Thursday and
Friday only.
Phone: +612 6276 6436 | [mobile number]
[1][email address] | [2]www.csiro.au
Address: CSIRO Corporate Centre
GPO Box 1700, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
PLEASE NOTE
The information contained in this email may be confidential or privileged.
Any unauthorised use or disclosure is prohibited. If you have received
this email in error, please delete it immediately and notify the sender by
return email. Thank you. To the extent permitted by law, CSIRO does not
represent, warrant and/or guarantee that the integrity of this
communication has been maintained or that the communication is free of
errors, virus, interception or interference.
Please consider the environment before printing this email.
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.csiro.au/
Dear Ms Maloney,
Thank you for your reply of 6th November.
It appears from the description of your actions taken in response to my request for government information that you have undertaken a comprehensive and thorough search of CSIRO's records.
The description of your actions and efforts is very much appreciated, especially when the response to a request is that there are no documents falling within the parameters of the request.
Yours sincerely,
Richard Smith
Thank you Mr Smith.
Your acknowledgment is very much appreciated (and very rare in this space).
Kind regards,
Beth Maloney
Senior Legal Counsel, CSIRO
Please note I work part time, I am in the office on Monday,Thursday and Friday only.
Phone: +612 6276 6436 | [mobile number]
[email address] | www.csiro.au
Address: CSIRO Corporate Centre
GPO Box 1700, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
PLEASE NOTE
The information contained in this email may be confidential or privileged. Any unauthorised use or disclosure is prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please delete it immediately and notify the sender by return email. Thank you. To the extent permitted by law, CSIRO does not represent, warrant and/or guarantee that the integrity of this communication has been maintained or that the communication is free of errors, virus, interception or interference.
Please consider the environment before printing this email.