18. Refusal of requests---A request made in accordance with section 12
 of this Act may be refused only for one or more of the following
 reasons, namely:
   (a) That, by virtue of section 6 or section 7 . . . or section 9 of
         this Act, there is good reason for withholding the information:
   (b) That, by virtue of section 10 of this Act, the Department or
         Minister of the Crown or organisation does not confirm or deny
         the existence or non-existence of the information requested:
   (c) That the making available of the information requested would---
           (i) Be contrary to the provisions of a specified enactment; or

           (ii) Constitute contempt of Court or of [the House of
         Representatives]:
   (d) That the information requested is or will soon be publicly
         available:
   (e) That the document alleged to contain the information requested
         does not exist or cannot be found:
   (f) That the information requested cannot be made available without
         substantial collation or research:
   (g) That the information requested is not held by the Department or
         Minister of the Crown or organisation and the person dealing
         with the request has no grounds for believing that the
         information is either---
           (i) Held by another Department or Minister of the Crown or
         organisation [or a local authority]; or
           (ii) Connected more closely with the functions of another
         Department or Minister of the Crown or organisation [or of a
         local authority]:
   (h) That the request is frivolous or vexatious or that the information
         requested is trivial.

       In para. (a) the expression ``or section 8 (1)'' was omitted by s.
      4 (2) of the Official Information Amendment Act 1987.
       In para. (c) (ii) the words ``the House of Representatives'' were
     substituted for the word ``Parliament'' by s. 10 of that Act.
       In para. (g) (i) and (ii) the words in square brackets were
     inserted by s. 57 (1) of the Local Government Official Information
     and Meetings Act 1987. See s. 1 (2) of that Act.