54B Refusal to deal with application-agency’s or Minister’s functions

(1) An agency or Minister to whom an application is made under section 53 may refuse to deal with the application or, if the agency or Minister is considering 2 or more applications made by the same person, all the applications, if the agency or Minister considers the work involved in dealing with the application or all the applications, would, if carried out—

(a) substantially and unreasonably divert the resources of the agency from their use by the agency in the performance of its functions; or

(b) interfere substantially and unreasonably with the performance by the Minister of the Minister’s functions.

(2) If the agency or Minister decides to refuse to deal with the application or all the applications—

(a) the agency or Minister must give written notice to the applicant of the decision and the reasons for the decision; and

(b) the notice must specify—

(i) the day on which the decision was made; and

(ii) details of any public interest considerations on which the decision was based; and

(iii) the name and designation of the officer who made the decision; and