Decision Letter.

Written by Claude Haiku 4.5 from the extracted text on 10 Jul 2026. It can miss or misread redacted and scanned pages. Check the source before relying on it.

The ATO refused access to documents detailing roadmaps or timelines for delivering an online lodgment option for trusts with simple reporting obligations under the MTAS program. The initial refusal on 1 May 2026 was based on a "practical refusal reason"—that processing the request would substantially divert ATO resources from operations. The requester revised the scope to exclude emails, team chats, and project management system documents, seeking only extracted information from larger documents with identification details preserved. On internal review dated 19 June 2026, the ATO affirmed the original refusal under paragraph 24(1)(b) of the FOI Act. The internal review decision upheld the practical refusal reason, finding the resource diversion justified refusal despite the requester's attempt to narrow scope and clarify the definition of "document" to facilitate processing.