Our Reference: Response to FOI 21/22-0048
FOI 21/22-0048 — Information regarding staffing levels for Freedom of Information team
Scope Please provide details on the specific number of people (APS and Labour Hire) that work in the NDIA’s FO! Department at present. Also provide the approved manning levels for the FO! Department. That is, how many are approved/typically assigned to the NDIA’s Department and how may are currently employed/assigned witin [sic] the NDIA’s FO! Department.
Response
The National Disability Insurance Agency’s (NDIA) is a pro-disclosure agency and the Freedom of Information (FOI) team performs an important legislative function in increasing public participation in Government processes.
The NDIA’s FOI team handles requests made under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth), and the Participant Information Access (PIA) scheme. The PIA scheme provides participants access to their information administratively without the need for a formal FOl request.
There has been a significant increase in the number of requests for information and access to documents each year since the establishment of the NDIA.
In 2020-21, the FOI team received 912 FOI requests and 2,863 PIA requests from participants and members of the public. Thousands of participants have been provided with information about their plans and the NDIS. This transparency has enabled participants and their support networks to better access and understand the NDIS, empowering participants to make informed choices about the services that are best for them.
At the date of request, the approved staffing levels for the FOI team was 23 full-time equivalent (FTE).
At the date of request, the total headcount of staff working in the FOI team was 15.
Page 1 of 1