Dear Mr Gothe-Snape,

 

I refer to your email to the Department of Employment (the Department),
dated 15 November 2016, requesting access under the Freedom of Information
Act 1982 (Cth) (FOI Act) to “the topics list for briefs created in
preparation for hearings of Senate 2016-2017 Supplementary Budget
Estimates” (emphasis added).

 

Clarification of the scope of your request

 

The Department does not have a single topics list in relation to all
briefs created for hearings of Senate 2016-2017 Supplementary Budget
Estimates (Senate Estimates hearings).

 

It is not clear from your request whether your request is for a singular
document that lists the titles of all individual briefs prepared for
Senate Estimates hearings or list(s) describing matters or subjects for
such briefings, noting that multiple briefs may have been prepared in
relation to different aspects of one matter.

 

As your request does not provide sufficient information to enable the
Department to identify the document(s) to which you are seeking access,
the Department is consulting with you pursuant to section 24(1)(a) of the
FOI Act.

 

Request Consultation Process (section 24AB)

 

As required by subsection 24AB(2) of the FOI Act, I am notifying you of my
intention to refuse your request because I am currently satisfied that a
practical refusal reason exists under subsection 24AA(1)(b) of the FOI
Act. This is because, your request as currently worded does not provide
sufficient information to enable the Department to identify the
document(s) you are seeking access to and therefore does not satisfy the
requirements of subsection 15(2)(b) of the FOI Act.

 

However, before making a decision to refuse your request on the above
grounds, I am providing you with an opportunity to make submissions in
support of your request as currently worded, or to clarify or revise the
scope of your request, so that the practical refusal reason will no longer
exist.

 

You have 14 days from the day you receive this letter to contact me and do
one of the following:

 

a)      withdraw your request;

b)      make a revised request; or

c)       indicate that you do not wish to revise the request.

 

You can contact me by writing to the following address:

 

Attention: Dilani Ponniah

Information Law, Practice Management and Corporate Advising Branch

LOC: C12MT1-LEGAL

GPO Box 9880

CANBERRA ACT 2601

Alternatively, you can send an email to [1][email address].

 

If you do not contact the Department within this period, your FOI request
will be taken to have been withdrawn under section 24AB(7) of the FOI Act.

 

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the
Department’s FOI hotline on 02 6240 7310 and request to speak to me or
send an email to [2][email address].

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Information Law Team

Information Law, Practice Management and Corporate Advising Branch

Australian Government Department of Employment
Email: [3][email address]

 

show quoted sections