FOI 24.25 0861 Documents Documents.pdf

DOCUMENT 1
FOI 24/25-0861
HOW TO LODGE A DISCLOSURE LOG REQUEST
FOI Disclosure log | NDIS
1. Remark up docs if needed (remove  any personal  information  under  section
11(C)(1)(a)(personal  information)  – add – Disclosure Log  to header  in front of FOI number  –
and put a copy in the DL Tab in SharePoint  – renamed  as FOI23/24-XXX-Disclosure  Log-
Documents.
2. Complete  a separate  Word document with table below  and send to an EL for approval with
the documents – ensure  you list the documents  that you release  by name wherever
possible for ease  of searching.
FOI Reference
Date  access
Documents
Information published
Documents
No.
granted
requested
in the disclosure  log
FOI 23/24-XXXX  XX/XX/XXXX  Insert scope of
The  document(s) is/are
The  following X documents
released
available on request by
were  located and released as
information
emailing the Freedom of
follows:
only
Information Team at
xxx@xxxx.xxx.xx.
1. Document name  -
version – released in
full/part etc
If applicable: Material within
the document has been
redacted pursuant to
section 22(1)(a)(i ) and/or
11(C)(1)(a) of the Freedom of
Information Act 1982.
3. Update  LEX with a file note  – file email in SharePoint.
4. When  you receive the approval  email back from your EL- Click the following link which will
take you to the service desk – see screen shot or list of instructions below for completing.
Request to update  the FOI disclosure log - Communications  and Engagement  Service Desk -
Service project (ndis.gov.au)
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FOI 24/25-0861
HOW TO LODGE A DISCLOSURE LOG REQUEST          FOI Disclosure log | NDIS

5.  Completed  by – give 3 days – add a file note in LEX
6.  Drag  in files being the Word table request and the approved  email  – change  the email
heading  to Approval  for Disclosure Log
7.  Choose  NDIS Staff
8.  Staff Organisational  Group  – GOVERNANCE  RISK AND INTEGRITY  GROUP
9.  Staff Division – GENERAL COUNSEL  DIVISION
10. Staff Branch  – COMPLAINTS MANAGEMENT AND FOI BRANCH
11. Create  – an autogenerated  email confirming submission – put in SharePoint
12. Email advising the matter has been  resolve
13. Advise your DM so they can update the FOI Spreadsheet
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FOI
DOCUMENT 2
OFFICIAL
24/25-0861
Standard Operating Procedure
For Internal Use Only
The contents of this document are OFFICIAL.
Releasing FOI Disclosure Log documents
1.
Purpose
This standard operating procedure (SOP) outlines the processes involved in releasing
documents listed on the National Disability Insurance Agency’s (NDIA) Freedom of Information
(FOI) disclosure log.
2.
Contents
Releasing FOI Disclosure Log documents. ......................................................................................... 1
1.
Purpose....................................................................................................................................... 1
2.
Contents...................................................................................................................................... 1
3.
Procedure ................................................................................................................................... 2
3.1
Background ............................................................................................................................. 2
3.2
Procedure................................................................................................................................ 2
3.3
Preparing for release ............................................................................................................. 3
3.4
Release of Disclosure Log items......................................................................................... 6
4.
Version control ........................................................................................................................... 8
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Standard Operating Procedure
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3.  Procedure
3.1  Background
1.  The Agency’s FOI disclosure log (DL) lists documents that have previously been released
in response to a non-personal FOI access request. The FOI disclosure log can be
accessed via the NDIS website at FOI Disclosure log | NDIS.
2.  Information about the disclosure log and our legal obligations can be found here
Disclosure logs - Home (oaic.gov.au) and Part 14 — Disclosure log - Home (oaic.gov.au)
3.  Agencies and ministers must publish information on the DL within 10 working days
of giving the FOI applicant access to documents (s 11C(6)). Where a person requests
access to information not published on an Agency’s DL (s 11C(3)(c)),  the agency or
minister  should provide access to the information within  a reasonable period,
which should be no more than 5 working days after receiving the request.
3.2  Procedure
1.  Requests for documents listed on the FOI disclosure log are received via the
xxx@xxxx.xxx.xx mailbox and are moved during triage to the Disclosure log request to
action sub-folder under actioned.

2.  The triage officer notifies all Analysis & Referral staff of the active disclosure log request
for action.
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Standard Operating Procedure
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3.3  Preparing for release
Before actioning a request for documents from the disclosure log, check the document being
requested is listed on the FOI Disclosure log | NDIS. The comments column will indicate how
many documents were released.
If the document is not on the website, please seek support from your line manager.
Check the scope of the original request to ensure no personal information was included in the
original request. Only non-personal information should be sent with the Disclosure Log
request.

3.  Once you’ve confirmed the document is on the website, check for the disclosure log
bundle on SharePoint: Freedom_of_Information - c. Disclosure Log (sharepoint.com).
4.  Choose the financial year folder to find the document requested. For example, if the
document is labelled 21/22, look in the FY_2021_2022 folder. Then search for the
relevant reference number of the request e.g. 22.23-0487.
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FOI  OFFICIAL
24/25-0861
Standard Operating Procedure
For Internal Use Only
5. Check the document contents match the request description and do not contain any
personal information.
6. If the document is located in SharePoint proceed to section 3.4 of this SOP.
7. If the document is not located in Sharepoint disclosure log folder, this means it has not
been previously released via the disclosure log and you need to create the folder and
locate the document for release.
8. Create a folder under Freedom of Information > c. Disclosure Log > FY_(Select the
correct Financial Year). Name this folder using the following naming convention:
Example:
Financial Year document was released – The documents assigned matter number –
Original applicant surname. 21.22-0045 (Smith).
9. Once a new folder has been created, retrieve the bundle of documents which were
released to the applicant for the original FOI request. Copy the document bundle
into the new disclosure log folder. The document bundle may consist of mu ltiple
PDFs. (Note: we only ever send the documents released, not the notice of decision
letter).  You can find the document using one of the following two methods:
10. Go to the folder for the original matter on SharePoint: Freedom_of_Information - a.
Matters  - All Documents (sharepoint.com)
11. Documents sent out to the requestor as part of the original request can also be
found in the Matters folder under the relevant FY folder. Search Decision > Final
Bundle folder to locate the release document/s.
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FOI OFFICIAL
24/25-0861
Standard Operating Procedure
For Internal Use Only
12. If you are unable to locate the document using the methods outline above, search
the FOI shared mailbox using the FOI reference number 21.22-0001. This will show
the notification of decision email which includes the documents released as
attachments. See below example of subject heading and relevant attachments to a
notified decision email.
13. If documents were released more than 6 months ago, search the FOI Online
Archive mailbox to search for the documents.
14. If you have any issues searching the mailbox. Please reach out to the Triage
Officers for help.
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Standard Operating Procedure
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3.4  Release of Disclosure Log items
15. To release the Disclosure Log document/s, draft a reply using the below template
ensuring it is sent from xxx@xxxx.xxx.xx mailbox and only cc’s xxx@xxxx.xxx.xx.
Subject: Disclosure log request - Part 1 of X
Email: Add Requesters Email
CC: xxx@xxxx.xxx.xx
Dear XXXX
Thank you for your below request seeking access to documents from the Agency’s Disclosure
Log.
Please find attached the following documents:
• 23/24-XXXX – Document – Disclosure Log.
• 23/24 -XXXX – Document – Disclosure Log.
(Delete this sentence if not applicable and before sending) Due to the size of the
documents, release is provided in more than one email as detailed in the subject heading of
this email.
Kind regards,
Freedom  of Information  Team
Government  Division
National  Disability  Insurance  Agency
E xxx@xxxx.xxx.xx
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Standard Operating Procedure
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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.
16. Once the email is drafted, attach the document for release.  You may need to split
attachments into bundles no larger than 9MB.
17. Move the email into the “For PC” folder for the DM to check.
18. Ask the APS6 level Decision Maker staff member trained in FOI to perform a privacy
check (PC) on the email before it is sent. Once the email has been PC’ed, send the
email.
19. Once this has been completed the DM will move it into the ‘PC Completed” folder.
20. Send the email/s and cc in the FOI inbox
21. Move the email into the “Actioned” Folder
22. Record the release in the spreadsheet - Daily Tally - FOI Triage.xlsx (sharepoint.com)
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Standard Operating Procedure
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4.
Version control
Version
Amended
Brief Description of Change
Status
Date
by
0.1
CH0058  Update Version
Draft
2023-03-09
0.2
CLK818  Draft reviewed
Review
2023-03-09
0.3
LDP633  Draft revised
Approved
2023-05-03
1.0
LDP633  Removed steps about delaying release – no
Approved
2023-08-07
longer practice. Added appendix of key
stakeholders.
1.1
LDP633  Removed steps about notifying media,
Approved
2023-11-23
stakeholder engagement and ministerial
team as this process has been eliminated
1.1
CH0058  Accessibility Review
Approved
2023-12-04
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DOCUMENT 3
FOI OFFICIAL
24/25-0861
Standard Operating Procedure
For Internal Use Only
The contents of this document are OFFICIAL.
Disclosure log audit
This document is designed to help staff audit the National Disability Insurance Agency’s
(NDIA) Freedom of Information (FOI) disclosure log. Any person in the team could be
delegated this task. It is usually done quarterly but can be done at any time as required.
1. Background
The National Disability Insurance Agency is required under section 11C of the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) to publish a disclosure log on the website. The disclosure log
lists information released in response to non-personal FOI requests. The publication of such
documents must be done within 10 working days of the applicant being given access to the
document(s). FOI decision makers email the NDIA’s online team each time they want an entry
added to the disclosure log.
Our external regulator, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) does
periodic audits of agency disclosure logs. In response to these audits, the NDIA aims to do
quarterly audits of its disclosure log. The purpose of this audit it to ensure that all relevant non -
personal requests are listed in the disclosure log, and that the information on the disclosure log
is correct.
2. Procedure
1. Access the NDIA’s disclosure log.
2. Identify all entries on the disclosure log with a date access granted that falls into the
period you are checking (for example, during the previous quarter of the financial year).
3. Download a copy of the FOI database from SharePoint in this folder
4. FOI APP12
PIA Dataases
4. Cross reference each entry on the disclosure log with the information recorded in the
database’s disclosure log columns BI (Update with direct link) to BL (Date of update). If
a matter has been published on the disclosure log with a note to email xxx@xxxx.xxx.xx,
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there should be a 1 in column BK (updating alt. access) and a date in column BL (date
of update). If either of these details are missing, take a note of the reference number
(column F) and name (column G) of the request, and the decision maker’s name
(column BO) in a table.

5.  Then, filter the columns in the FOI database (use your downloaded copy) to show only
non-personal requests (column R), released during the last financial quarter (column L),
with an outcome of full or partial (column AD).
6.  Check the disclosure log date of update column (column BL) for notes. If the decision
maker chose not to release the documents, column BL should have a note such as “no
update,” “no” or “not required.”
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7.  If there is no such note in column BK  (updating alt. access) or column BL (date of
update). If either of these details are missing, take a note of the reference number
(column F) and name (column G) of the request, and the decision maker’s name
(column BO) in a table.
8.  Go to the FOI Internal Reviews tab of the FOI database. Filter the date of decision
column (column G) to show all internal reviews (IRs) released during the quarter. Then
filter the predominately non-personal information column (column J) to show only
non-personal requests. The filter the outcome columns (columns K through R) to show
matters where greater access was given. Check the disclosure log columns (column U
and V). If either of these details are missing, take a note of the reference number
(column A) and name (column B) of the request, and the decision maker’s name
(column T) in a table.
9.  Create a table of all the incorrect entries you have found. Include a note stating what
was missing from each matter.
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Standard Operating Procedure
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10.  Email the table to all Assistant Directors in the FOI team. Ask them to follow up with the
team to resolve the inconsistencies and respond back in 7 days. The inconsistencies
could be resolved in multiple ways. These ways include adding missing data to the
database (if a matter is already on the disclosure log); contacting the online team with a
request publish a missing entry on the disclosure log (and then adding the required
information to the database); or correcting data on the spreadsheet (for example, if the
request was not a non-personal request or was not a full or partial release).
11.  Seven days later, check all the entries you identified on the FOI database again to
confirm that the inconsistencies have been rectified.
Version  Amended
Brief Description of Change
Status
Date
by
0.1
LDP633  Initial Version
DRAFT
2024-01-29

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