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

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2. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
3. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
4. https://www.ndis.gov.au/participants/usi...
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7. mailto:[NDIA request email]
8. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
9. mailto:[email address]
10. https://www.ndis.gov.au/
11. mailto:[NDIA request email]

Dear David Wright

Freedom of Information Request: Acknowledgement

Thank you for your request of 20 March 2025, made under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), for information held by the National
Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).

Scope of your Request

You have requested access to:

“ …Please provide the following information about all law firms engaged by
the NDIA in the first six months of the 2024-2025 financial year for
matters to which the NDIA was a Respondent at the Administrative Appeals
Tribunal (AAT):

1) A list of all law firms engaged.

2) The number of AAT matters each law firm was engaged for.

3) The total of all payments made by the NDIA to each of these law firms,
giving the total figure paid to each law firm and also a combined total
figure of all payments...."

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 21 March 2025. This
30-day period expires on 19 April 2025.

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 19
May 2025.

If you do not agree and we are unable to process your request within the
30-day period expiring on 19 April 2025, 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 28 March 2025.

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

Information Release, Privacy and Legal Operations Branch

Reviews and Information Release 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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