Our reference: FOI 24/25-0730
GPO Box 700
Canberra ACT 2601
1800 800 110
ndis.gov.au21 January 2025
David Wright
By email: foi+request-12281-8cd33e8c@righttoknow.org.au
Dear David Wright
Freedom of Information request — Request consultation process
Thank you for your correspondence of 17 January 2025, in which you requested access under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) to documents held by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).
Scope of your request You have requested access to the following documents:
“I refer to document 7 in FOI 23/24-0029:
'National Disability Insurance Agency 2023. Behaviourally based intervention for children on the autism spectrum: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis.' (version 2 - May 2023).
Page iv of the document sates that it was prepared by E Ghezzi and A Lampit.
I seek all communications held by the NDIA with and between E. Ghezzi and A. Lampit concerning this document (including but not limited to any drafts of the document which might be attached to these communications).
The request includes any such communications made both up to and after the finalisation of the document in May 2023.
These communications would include (but not be limited to) all email correspondence with and between E. Ghezzi and A. Lampit about the document.”Practical refusal I am authorised to make decisions under section 23(1) of the FOI Act.
I am writing to advise that the work involved in processing your request in its current form would substantially and unreasonably divert the resources of the NDIA from its other operations due to its size. This is called a ‘practical refusal reason’ under section 24AA of the FOI Act.
On this basis, I intend to refuse your request. However, before I make a final decision, I am writing to provide you with an opportunity to revise your request. This is called a ‘request consultation process’ as set out under section 24AB of the FOI Act. You have 14 days to respond to this notice in one of the ways set out below.
1Why I intend to refuse your request
I have conducted a preliminary search for documents which are likely to be relevant to your request. This search has revealed that the NDIA is in possession of more than 2,600 individual documents matching the scope of your request, not including any attachments which may be contained within those documents.
On my reasonable estimate, I consider that there is more than 5,200 pages worth of material that falls within the scope of your request as currently worded. At a conservative estimate of 1 minute per page, this would take an FOI officer more than 20 hours to simply review and collate the documents.
The documents that are assessed as being within scope of the request will then need to be reviewed for any sensitivities and possible exemption under the FOI Act and scheduled, we will need to consider any consultations and carry these out if required, a decision will need to be made on each document, and a decision letter prepared. This will significantly increase the hours that it will take an FOI officer to process your request.
As a result, I am of the view that the work involved in the processing of this request would substantially and unreasonably divert the resources of the NDIA from its other operations.
Request consultation process
You now have an opportunity to revise your request to enable it to proceed.
Revising your request can mean narrowing the scope of the request to make it more manageable or explaining in more detail the documents you wish to access. For example, by providing more specific information about exactly what documents you are interested in, the NDIA will be able to pinpoint the documents more quickly and avoid using excessive resources to process documents you are not interested in.
To reduce the scope of your request, you might like to consider:
- All previous drafts of the report
- A condensed timeframe for requested documentation – 1 month timeframe
You have 14 days from the date you receive this letter to contact me and do one of the following: a. withdraw your request b. make a revised request c. indicate that you do not wish to revise the request.
During this period, you are welcome to seek assistance to revise your request. If you revise your request in a way that adequately addresses the practical refusal reason outlined above, we will recommence processing it.
Please note that the time taken to consult with you regarding the scope of your request is not taken into account for the purposes of the timeframe for processing your request.
You can contact me by email at foi@ndis.gov.au.
Alternatively, you can reply in writing to the following address:
Freedom of Information Section Complaints Management & FOI Branch General Counsel Division National Disability Insurance Agency
FOI Request Withdrawal
GPO Box 700 CANBERRA ACT 2601
If you do not contact me within this period, that is by 8 January 2025, your FOI request will be taken to have been withdrawn under subsection 24AB(7) and will not be dealt with any further.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Yours sincerely
Cooper (CHH674) Senior Freedom of Information Officer Complaints Management & FOI Branch General Counsel Division
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