...Why are those impossible? Many companies ask for notarized translations of foreign documents.
I Googled
You cannot notarize a document or ID... you can only notarize a SIGNATURE on a document. You must prove to the notary that you are the person named in the document and the notary must personally observe you sign... so..... it can't be done on a government issued ID that has been previously signed.
Google's being terribly unreliable then. Translations are notarised all the time as being accurate. Perhaps the problem is that the term is used differently in different jurisdictions. The witnessing of signatures is only one function performed by authorised notaries.
Translated documents must either be notarised by an Australian Notary Public, or have been translated and signed/stamped by the accredited translating service - the National Authority for Accredited Translators and Interpreters (NAATI). If you are dealing with a private translation company, please ensure the translator signs the document and that they include their NAATI details.
http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/services/legalising-documents.html