Freedom of Information Act 1982

PART III - ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS  

SECTION 24A   Requests may be refused if documents cannot be found, do not exist or have not been received  

Document lost or non-existent

24A(1)    
An agency or Minister may refuse a request for access to a document if:

(a) all reasonable steps have been taken to find the document; and

(b) the agency or Minister is satisfied that the document:

(i) is in the agency's or Minister's possession but cannot be found; or

(ii) does not exist.

Document not received as required by contract

24A(2)    
An agency may refuse a request for access to a document if:

(a) in order to comply with section 6C , the agency has taken contractual measures to ensure that it receives the document; and

(b) the agency has not received the document; and

(c) the agency has taken all reasonable steps to receive the document in accordance with those contractual measures.