Guidance for NDIA staff

Response to this request is long overdue. By law, under all circumstances, National Disability Insurance Agency should have responded by now (details). You can complain by requesting an internal review.

Dear National Disability Insurance Agency,

As per the Freedom of Information Act I am requesting access to documents within the following scope:

- All guidance and policy for staff in the NDIA Complaints Management & FOI Branch on identifying, reviewing and processing documents for FOI and PIA requests

- All guidance and policy for staff in other NDIA business line areas on identifying, reviewing and processing documents for FOI and PIA requests

- All guidance for staff in any NDIA business area about navigating the NDIS business system and database/s for any purpose

- The FAQ referred to in FOI-2 23/24-1100 on page 23 of 61 “If you are unsure of what advice the FOI team requires, please refer to the attached FAQ, or contact the FOI decision maker for clarification.”

- The article referred to in FOI 23/24-0814 on page 7 of 12 “Use article Log an activity or internal note. [https://ndia.my.salesforce.com/articles/...

Yours faithfully,

Paul Carter

foi, National Disability Insurance Agency

Thank you for your email to the National Disability Insurance Agency
(NDIA) Freedom of Information (FOI) team.
Please note: due to a high volume of requests, our ability to respond to
you in a timely manner may be affected. We will action your request as
soon as possible and will endeavour to process your matter within the
legislative deadlines. We may need to seek your agreement to an extension
of time. We appreciate your understanding if this is required.
Participant Information
Did you know the NDIA has other ways to access the documents and
information that we hold?

Participants, Guardians and Nominees can obtain copies of some participant
information through our National Contact Centre (NCC). For more
information about what’s available through the NCC, please contact 1800
800 110.
Please visit our [1]Access to Information webpage to find out more about
accessing information through:

* The [2]Participant Information Access (PIA) scheme
* The [3]Information Publication Scheme (IPS)
* The [4]myplace portal for participants   
* The [5]myplace portal for providers

Access to Data
You can also request data and statistics. Please visit our [6]Data and
insights webpage page for further information.
If you are able to obtain your information from a source listed above, you
can withdraw your FOI request by emailing [7][NDIA request email]

Further Information
Information about how to make an FOI request can be found on our website:
[8]Freedom of Information
Should you have a query unrelated to FOI, please contact the Agency by
email at [9][email address] or via webchat at [10]ndis.gov.au.
Alternatively, you can also contact us by phoning 1800 800 110.
Kind regards   

Freedom of Information Team 

Complaints Management & FOI Branch

General Counsel Division 

National Disability Insurance Agency 

E [11][NDIA request email]  

  

The NDIA acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout
Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We
pay our respects to them and their cultures and to Elders past, present
and emerging. 

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References

Visible links
1. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
2. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
3. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
4. https://www.ndis.gov.au/participants/usi...
https://www.ndis.gov.au/participants/usi...
5. https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/workin...
https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/workin...
6. https://data.ndis.gov.au/
https://data.ndis.gov.au/
7. mailto:[NDIA request email]
mailto:[NDIA request email]
8. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
9. mailto:[email address]
mailto:[email address]
10. https://www.ndis.gov.au/
https://www.ndis.gov.au/
11. mailto:[NDIA request email]

foi, National Disability Insurance Agency

3 Attachments

Dear Paul Carter

 

Freedom of Information Request: Acknowledgement

 

Thank you for your request of 10 Ocotber 2024, made under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), for copies of documents held by the
National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).

 

Scope of your Request

 

You have requested access to:

 

“All guidance and policy for staff in the NDIA Complaints Management & FOI
Branch on identifying, reviewing and processing documents for FOI and PIA
requests

 

- All guidance and policy for staff in other NDIA business line areas on
identifying, reviewing and processing documents for FOI and PIA requests

 

- All guidance for staff in any NDIA business area about navigating the
NDIS business system and database/s for any purpose

 

- The FAQ referred to in FOI-2 23/24-1100 on page 23 of 61 “If you are
unsure of what advice the FOI team requires, please refer to the attached
FAQ, or contact the FOI decision maker for clarification.”

 

Irrelevant Information

 

Section 22 of the FOI Act allows an Agency to redact information from
documents if that information would reasonably be regarded as irrelevant
to a request for access.

 

Given the nature of your request, it does not seem that NDIA staff
members’ surnames and contact details would be relevant to you. Can you
please send me a reply email confirming that such details are irrelevant
to your request for access?

 

Processing Timeframes

 

In accordance with section 15(5)(b) of the FOI Act, a 30-day statutory
period for processing your request commenced from 11 October 2024. This
30-day period expires on 11 November 2024.

 

The 30-day period can be extended in a number of ways, including with your
agreement.

 

Unfortunately, it is currently taking us a little longer than 30 days to
process FOI requests. I am therefore seeking your agreement to a 30-day
extension of time under section 15AA of the FOI Act. If you agree to this
extension, the new due date for us to decide on your request will be 11
December 2024.

 

If you do not agree and we are unable to process your request within the
30-day period expiring on 11 November 2024, we will be deemed to have
refused your request and you will not have a right to seek internal review
of that decision. You will, however, retain your right to external review
by the Australian Information Commissioner.

 

Please let us know if you agree by 25 October 2024.

 

Disclosure Log

 

Subject to certain exceptions, documents released under the FOI Act will
be published on the NDIA’s disclosure log located on our website.

 

If you have any concerns about the publication of the documents you have
requested, please contact me.

 

Next steps

 

Your request will be allocated to an authorised FOI decision-maker. The
decision-maker may need to contact you to discuss a range of matters,
including refining the scope of your request.

 

We will contact you using the email address you have provided. Please
advise if you would prefer us to use an alternative means of contact.

 

In the meantime, if you have any questions or need help, please contact us
at [1][NDIA request email].

 

Regards

 

Mykal

Freedom of Information Officer

Complaints Management & FOI Branch

General Counsel Division

National Disability Insurance Agency

E [2][NDIA request email]

 

[3]NDIA logo

[4]LGBTIQA+ rainbow graphic

The NDIA acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout
Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We
pay our respects to them and their cultures and to Elders past, present
and emerging.

[5]Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags graphic

 

 

 

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Dear foi,

I agree to the extension.

Yours sincerely,

Paul Carter

foi, National Disability Insurance Agency

3 Attachments

Dear Paul Carter

 

Thank you for your request for information.

 

We are writing to seek clarification of your request.

 

Scope of your request

You have requested access to:

 

"All guidance and policy for staff in the NDIA Complaints Management & FOI
Branch on identifying, reviewing and processing documents for FOI and PIA
requests

 

- All guidance and policy for staff in other NDIA business line areas on
identifying, reviewing and processing documents for FOI and PIA requests

 

- All guidance for staff in any NDIA business area about navigating the
NDIS business system and database/s for any purpose

 

- The FAQ referred to in FOI-2 23/24-1100 on page 23 of 61 “If you are
unsure of what advice the FOI team requires, please refer to the attached
FAQ, or contact the FOI decision maker for clarification.”

 

 

In order for your request to meet the requirements of the FOI Act, it must
provide enough information about the documents you are seeking to enable
us to locate them.

 

Based on the description you have provided, we are wanting to confirm the
documents you are seeking are the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and
any written guidelines

 

Next steps

If you are happy for us to proceed with your request as outlined above,
please let me know by 2 December 2024.

 

Please contact us at [1][NDIA request email] if you have any questions or
require help.

 

Kind regards

 

Cooper

Freedom of Information Officer

Complaints Management and FOI Branch

General Counsel Division

National Disability Insurance Agency

E: [2][NDIA request email]

 

[3]Title: NDIS delivered by the National Disability Insurance Agency

[4]LGBTIQA+ rainbow graphic

The NDIA acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout
Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We
pay our respects to them and their cultures and to Elders past, present
and emerging.

[5]Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags graphic

 

 

 

 

show quoted sections

Dear Cooper,

With "guidance" I'm referring to all documents used to instruct or guide staff with the tasks specified in my request. This could be standard operating procedures, practice guides, knowledge articles, or any other classification of document for that purpose.

Thanks,

Paul Carter