Freedom of Information request — Notification of Decision

Thank you for your correspondence of 13 April 2024, in which you requested access to documents held by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).

The purpose of this letter is to provide you with a decision on your request.

Scope of your request

You have requested access to the following documents:

“…Please provide a copy of ALL templates used by your FOI and PIA teams including but not limited to:

    Allocation of Matter template to DM
ALL Decision Letter Templates used
Refusal template
Acknowledgement Letter Template
Internal Line area request for documentation Email Search template statement of reasons template Deemed decision template Consult with other agencies template…”

Please note that the NDIA no longer have FOI teams and PIA teams. Our Agency now have a wider Information Access team that processes requests made under the Participant Information Access Scheme and the FOI Act.

Extension of time

On 09 May 2024, we emailed you to request 30-day extension of time under section 15AA of the FOI Act, making 11 June 2024 the new date to provide you with a decision on access.

Based on this email, we have continued to process this request on the assumption that you are agreeable to the new due date.

Decision on access to documents

I am authorised to make decisions under section 23(1) of the FOI Act.

I have identified 28 documents which fall within the scope of your request.

The documents were identified by conducting searches of NDIA’s systems, using all reasonable search terms that could return documents relevant to your request.

I would like to advise you that we no longer have FOI teams and PIA teams. We have a wider Information Access team that processes requests made under the Participant Information Access scheme and the FOI Act. I would also make the point that, while the documents in the bundle are available for use by members of the Info Access team, they are not always used by team members nor are team members required to make use of them. Many team members depart from the templates when communicating internally and externally.

I would also make the point that parts of some of the documents in the bundle are routinely deleted before the documents are sent.

I have decided to grant access to 28 documents in full.

In reaching my decision, I took the following into account

• your correspondence outlining the scope of your request
• the nature and content of the documents falling within the scope of your request
• the FOI Act
• the FOI Guidelines published under section 93A of the FOI Act
• factors relevant to my assessment of whether or not disclosure would be in the public interest
• the NDIA’s operating environment and functions.

Release of documents

The documents for release, as referred to in the Schedule of Documents at Attachment A, are enclosed.

Rights of review

Your rights to seek a review of my decision, or lodge a complaint, are set out at Attachment B.

Should you have any enquiries concerning this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me by email at foi@ndis.gov.au.

Ankit

Senior Freedom of Information Officer

Complaints Management & FOI Branch

General Counsel Division

Yours sincerely Ankit Senior Freedom of Information Officer Complaints Management & FOI Branch General Counsel Division 3