Education and the National Autism Strategy
Dear Department of Education,
The Australian Government is developing a National Autism Strategy - see https://www.dss.gov.au/disability-and-ca...
Please provide, under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, all information held by the Department of Education relating to the National Autism Strategy including, but not limited to:
1. communication with and information provided to the National Autism Strategy Oversight/Committee/Council and/or its working groups,
2. communication with and information provided to staff or officials in the Department of Social Security,
3. information given to politicians or parliamentary officials,
4. information and records held within the Department of Education, and
5. relevant information received by the Department of Education.
Yours faithfully,
Bob Buckley
You have contacted the Freedom of Information Team at the Commonwealth
Department of Education (the department). If your email relates to a
Freedom of Information (FOI) application made under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (Cth) (FOI Act), the department will respond as soon
as possible.
This email address is only for applications for access to documents under
the FOI Act. The department is unable to respond to non-FOI related
enquiries sent to this email address, and accordingly, emails sent to this
email address that are not FOI related will not be responded to or
forwarded.
CRICOS Codes
If you are seeking information relating to the Commonwealth Register of
Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS), information about
Australian education providers offering courses to people studying in
Australia on student visas and the courses offered, including CRICOS
codes, is available at [1]http://cricos.education.gov.au//. Monthly CRICOS
data exports are available at [2]https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/cricos.
The department is unable to respond to non-FOI related CRICOS enquiries
sent to this email address.
Non-FOI Enquiries
If you have a non-FOI related enquiry for the department, you can contact
the department by using the online enquiry form at
[3]https://www.education.gov.au/about-us/co....
Regards,
Freedom of Information Team
Department of Education
Notice:
The information contained in this email message and any attached files may
be confidential information, and may also be the subject of legal
professional privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, any use,
disclosure or copying of this email is unauthorised. If you received this
email in error, please notify the sender by contacting the department's
switchboard on 1300 566 046 during business hours (8:30am - 5pm Canberra
time) and delete all copies of this transmission together with any
attachments.
References
Visible links
1. http://cricos.education.gov.au/
2. https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/cricos
3. https://www.education.gov.au/about-us/co...
Dear Bob
I refer to your request, received by the Department of Education
(department) on 15 September 2024, for access under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) to the following:
“all information held by the Department of Education relating to the
National Autism Strategy including, but not limited to:
1. communication with and information provided to the National Autism
Strategy Oversight/Committee/Council and/or its working groups,
2. communication with and information provided to staff or officials in
the Department of Social Security,
3. information given to politicians or parliamentary officials,
4. information and records held within the Department of Education, and
5. relevant information received by the Department of Education”
Your request was received by the department on 15 September 2024 and the
30-day statutory period for processing your request commenced from the day
after that date. The period of 30 days may be extended if we need to
consult third parties or for other reasons permitted under the FOI Act. We
will advise you if this happens.
Interpretation of your request
The FOI Act gives a right to access documents, rather than information.
Therefore, we have interpreted your request as being for documents
containing the information set out in your request.
Accordingly, we have interpreted your request as being for all documents
held by the department relating to the National Autism Strategy. We assume
your use of the phrase ‘including but not limited to’ indicates the scope
should be read broadly, rather than being limited to the five categories
specifically listed.
For completeness, we note the fifth part of your request seeks “relevant
information” received by the department. The department cannot determine
what information you may consider to be relevant. However, this does not
directly impact your request in these circumstances, given we have
interpreted the scope as encompassing all documents held by the department
relating to the National Autism Strategy.
Clarification of the scope of your request
Based on this interpretation, we are advised the scope of your request is
very broad and the work involved in processing it is likely to
substantially and unreasonably divert the resources of the department from
its other operations.
This is because your request captures all documents relating to the
National Autism Strategy, including duplicate and draft documents, all
internal and external correspondence, documents containing Cabinet
material, and documents with subject matter more closely connected to the
functions of other Commonwealth agencies.
Therefore, you may wish to consider narrowing the scope of your request
by, for example:
o specifying a more limited date range for your request (e.g. the
6-month period up until the date of your request)
o specifying types or categories of documents (e.g. final briefs,
reports, or meeting minutes)
o seeking correspondence between particular entities or individuals
o requesting final documents only, and
o excluding Cabinet material.
Please provide clarification about the scope of your request by COB 26
September 2024.
If we do not hear from you by this date, we will process your FOI request
in its current form based on the interpretation outlined above under the
‘Interpretation of your request’ heading. This may result in the
department commencing a formal request consultation process with you under
section 24AB of the FOI Act.
Charges
The department will advise you if a charge is payable to process your
request and the amount of any such charge as soon as practicable. No
charge is payable for providing a person with their own personal
information.
Your address
The FOI Act requires that you provide us with an address that we can send
notices to. You have advised your electronic address is
[1][FOI #12056 email]. Unless you tell us
otherwise, we will send all notices and correspondence to this address.
Disclosure log
Information released under the FOI Act may be published on a disclosure
log on our website, subject to certain exceptions. These exceptions
include where the publication of personal, business, professional or
commercial information would be unreasonable.
Exclusion of employee details
To the extent the department has documents in its possession that fall
within the scope of your request, we will treat the names, signatures,
position titles, staff identification numbers and direct contact details
of Commonwealth employees as irrelevant in accordance with section 22 of
the FOI Act, unless you tell us otherwise by COB 26 September 2024.
Further assistance
If you have any questions about your request, please email
[2][email address].
Yours sincerely
Freedom of Information Team
Department of Education
Notice:
The information contained in this email message and any attached files may
be confidential information, and may also be the subject of legal
professional privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, any use,
disclosure or copying of this email is unauthorised. If you received this
email in error, please notify the sender by contacting the department's
switchboard on 1300 566 046 during business hours (8:30am - 5pm Canberra
time) and delete all copies of this transmission together with any
attachments.
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[FOI #12056 email]
2. mailto:[email address]
Dear Education - FOI,
Thank you for your email.
You can exclude:
* Cabinet documents
* I am only interested in the final email of email threads, and
* I do not wish to receive duplicate documents.
I doubt the amount of material is overwhelming in this instance. Please let me know if I am wrong about that.
Yours sincerely,
Bob Buckley
You have contacted the Freedom of Information Team at the Commonwealth
Department of Education (the department). If your email relates to a
Freedom of Information (FOI) application made under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (Cth) (FOI Act), the department will respond as soon
as possible.
This email address is only for applications for access to documents under
the FOI Act. The department is unable to respond to non-FOI related
enquiries sent to this email address, and accordingly, emails sent to this
email address that are not FOI related will not be responded to or
forwarded.
CRICOS Codes
If you are seeking information relating to the Commonwealth Register of
Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS), information about
Australian education providers offering courses to people studying in
Australia on student visas and the courses offered, including CRICOS
codes, is available at [1]http://cricos.education.gov.au//. Monthly CRICOS
data exports are available at [2]https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/cricos.
The department is unable to respond to non-FOI related CRICOS enquiries
sent to this email address.
Non-FOI Enquiries
If you have a non-FOI related enquiry for the department, you can contact
the department by using the online enquiry form at
[3]https://www.education.gov.au/about-us/co....
Regards,
Freedom of Information Team
Department of Education
Notice:
The information contained in this email message and any attached files may
be confidential information, and may also be the subject of legal
professional privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, any use,
disclosure or copying of this email is unauthorised. If you received this
email in error, please notify the sender by contacting the department's
switchboard on 1300 566 046 during business hours (8:30am - 5pm Canberra
time) and delete all copies of this transmission together with any
attachments.
References
Visible links
1. http://cricos.education.gov.au/
2. https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/cricos
3. https://www.education.gov.au/about-us/co...
Dear Bob
Please find attached correspondence relating to your FOI request.
Kind regards
Lauren
Freedom of Information Team
Department of Education
Notice:
The information contained in this email message and any attached files may
be confidential information, and may also be the subject of legal
professional privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, any use,
disclosure or copying of this email is unauthorised. If you received this
email in error, please notify the sender by contacting the department's
switchboard on 1300 566 046 during business hours (8:30am - 5pm Canberra
time) and delete all copies of this transmission together with any
attachments.
Dear Education - FOI,
I am puzzled by your claim that
Preliminary searches indicate the department potentially holds thousands of documents, totalling several thousand pages, which could be relevant to your request.
Work on the National Autism Strategy (NAS) only started after the last election. Responsibility for the NAS is with DSS, not with your Department so it is unlikely that there are "several thousand pages" that could be relevant. And clearly, the time period is limited.
If it helps, I can describe the information I am after as:
all documents held, sent or received by SES officers that explicitly mention or relate to the development of the National Autism Strategy and/or its contents.
Alternatively, you could send an electronic version of your "preliminary searches" and I could indicate which documents I consider relevant.
I hope this helps.
Yours sincerely,
Bob Buckley
You have contacted the Freedom of Information Team at the Commonwealth
Department of Education (the department). If your email relates to a
Freedom of Information (FOI) application made under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (Cth) (FOI Act), the department will respond as soon
as possible.
This email address is only for applications for access to documents under
the FOI Act. The department is unable to respond to non-FOI related
enquiries sent to this email address, and accordingly, emails sent to this
email address that are not FOI related will not be responded to or
forwarded.
CRICOS Codes
If you are seeking information relating to the Commonwealth Register of
Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS), information about
Australian education providers offering courses to people studying in
Australia on student visas and the courses offered, including CRICOS
codes, is available at [1]http://cricos.education.gov.au//. Monthly CRICOS
data exports are available at [2]https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/cricos.
The department is unable to respond to non-FOI related CRICOS enquiries
sent to this email address.
Non-FOI Enquiries
If you have a non-FOI related enquiry for the department, you can contact
the department by using the online enquiry form at
[3]https://www.education.gov.au/about-us/co....
Regards,
Freedom of Information Team
Department of Education
Notice:
The information contained in this email message and any attached files may
be confidential information, and may also be the subject of legal
professional privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, any use,
disclosure or copying of this email is unauthorised. If you received this
email in error, please notify the sender by contacting the department's
switchboard on 1300 566 046 during business hours (8:30am - 5pm Canberra
time) and delete all copies of this transmission together with any
attachments.
References
Visible links
1. http://cricos.education.gov.au/
2. https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/cricos
3. https://www.education.gov.au/about-us/co...
Dear Bob
Please find attached correspondence relating to your FOI request.
Kind regards
Freedom of Information Team
Department of Education
Notice:
The information contained in this email message and any attached files may
be confidential information, and may also be the subject of legal
professional privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, any use,
disclosure or copying of this email is unauthorised. If you received this
email in error, please notify the sender by contacting the department's
switchboard on 1300 566 046 during business hours (8:30am - 5pm Canberra
time) and delete all copies of this transmission together with any
attachments.
Dear Education - FOI,
I write in response to your "Suggestions for reducing the scope of your request". Please note that:
1. the National Autism Strategy arose from the last election so the date range is already limited to the current term of government. Any further reduction in dates is likely to miss relevant information.
2. as I have no understanding of how people in your Department describe information, I am unable to determine what categories the information I seek is stored as. My understanding is the the Freedom of Information Act gives access to "information" hence I request "information" consistent with the name of the Act.
3. Rather than key words, I provided a key "phrase". It is possible that some information may only refer to the three letter acronym (TLA) for this key phrase being "NAS". I leave it to you to decide how you intend to manage that prospect.
4. I have no way of knowing who may be involved in discussion about the National Autism Strategy. I am especially interested in seeing which roles are involved.
Your letter says:
These searches identified over 700 emails, likely totalling at least 1000 pages including
attachments, which could potentially be within the scope of your request. Additionally, the
department identified approximately 250 documents outside of its email system which may
relate to your request.
While I am surprised that there is that much communication on the subject (since there is so little indication of any of this in DSS's draft strategy for consultation), people in the autism sector are extremely interested in your Department's involvement in the development of the National Autism Strategy. Your report above does not indicate how many threads there are in the emails.
If you want to provide the list of "approximately 250 documents outside of its email system" we may be able to decide wither way about those documents, but with just a number we cannot reduce the scope.
At this stage, I respectfully decline to reduce the scope of my request. I am prepared to reconsider if you provide the information I suggested above to help me in reconsidering.
Yours sincerely,
Bob Buckley
You have contacted the Freedom of Information Team at the Commonwealth
Department of Education (the department). If your email relates to a
Freedom of Information (FOI) application made under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (Cth) (FOI Act), the department will respond as soon
as possible.
This email address is only for applications for access to documents under
the FOI Act. The department is unable to respond to non-FOI related
enquiries sent to this email address, and accordingly, emails sent to this
email address that are not FOI related will not be responded to or
forwarded.
CRICOS Codes
If you are seeking information relating to the Commonwealth Register of
Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS), information about
Australian education providers offering courses to people studying in
Australia on student visas and the courses offered, including CRICOS
codes, is available at [1]http://cricos.education.gov.au//. Monthly CRICOS
data exports are available at [2]https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/cricos.
The department is unable to respond to non-FOI related CRICOS enquiries
sent to this email address.
Non-FOI Enquiries
If you have a non-FOI related enquiry for the department, you can contact
the department by using the online enquiry form at
[3]https://www.education.gov.au/about-us/co....
Regards,
Freedom of Information Team
Department of Education
Notice:
The information contained in this email message and any attached files may
be confidential information, and may also be the subject of legal
professional privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, any use,
disclosure or copying of this email is unauthorised. If you received this
email in error, please notify the sender by contacting the department's
switchboard on 1300 566 046 during business hours (8:30am - 5pm Canberra
time) and delete all copies of this transmission together with any
attachments.
References
Visible links
1. http://cricos.education.gov.au/
2. https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/cricos
3. https://www.education.gov.au/about-us/co...
Dear Bob
We acknowledge receipt of your email dated 10 October 2024, advising that you decline to reduce the scope of your request.
As your request covers documents that contain information concerning the business, commercial or financial affairs of an organisation or a person’s business or professional affairs, we need to ask that organisation or person about the release of that information before making a decision on your request. For this reason, the department has extended the time for processing your request by 30 days under the Freedom of Information Act 1982.
For your assistance, we note that the Department of Social Services has published information regarding the National Autism Strategy here: https://www.dss.gov.au/disability-and-ca... .
If you have any questions in regard to your request, please contact [email address].
Kind regards
FOI Team
Department of Education
Notice:
The information contained in this email message and any attached files may be confidential information, and may also be the subject of legal professional privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, disclosure or copying of this email is unauthorised. If you received this email in error, please notify the sender by contacting the department's switchboard on 1300 566 046 during business hours (8:30am - 5pm Canberra time) and delete all copies of this transmission together with any attachments.