18 August 2025
Renee Plant
By email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx Dear Renee
Freedom of Information request — Notification of Decision
Thank you for your correspondence of 2 May 2025, 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:
All internal correspondence (including but not limited to emails, instant messages,
Teams chats, meeting notes or memos) within the NDIA’s Freedom of Information
leadership team that were sent or received between Tuesday 30 April 2024
(inclusive) and Friday 2 May 2024 (inclusive), and that relate to the FOI request
submitted by Renee Plant concerning interpersonal relationships.
Please note:
I do not require the names or contact details of NDIA staff; these can be excluded or
redacted under s 22.
I am only seeking correspondence that directly pertains to the handling, discussion,
or internal response to the specific FOI request from Ms. Plant on interpersonal
relationships.
On 3 May 2025 you amended the date range of your request to be from 30 April 2025
(inclusive) to 2 May 2025 (inclusive).
Apologies for the delay in providing you with a decision in relation to this request.
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Decision on access to documents
I am authorised to make decisions under section 23(1) of the FOI Act. My decision on your
request and the reasons for my decision are set out below.
I have decided to refuse your request for access under section 24A of the FOI Act on the basis
that all reasonable steps have been taken to locate the documents you have requested, and
I am satisfied that they cannot be located or do not exist.
In reaching my decision, I took into account the following:
• your correspondence outlining the particulars of your request;
• searches undertaken by the Agency for documents within the scope of your request;
• advice from Agency staff about the existence of documents within the scope of your
request;
• the FOI Act; and
• the FOI Guidelines.
Reasons for decisions
Refuse a request for access (section 24A)
Section 24A of the FOI Act provides that:
(1) An agency or Minister may refuse a request for access to a document if:
a. all reasonable steps have been taken to find the document; and
b. the agency or Minister is satisfied that the document:
i. is in the agency's or Minister's possession but cannot be found; or
ii. does not exist.
In processing your request, I have conducted searches of the relevant systems and made
appropriate enquiries with relevant Agency staff. These enquires have revealed that the
Agency is not in possession of any documents that are captured within the scope of your
request
As such I am satisfied that all reasonable steps have been taken to locate the document(s
relevant to your request and that the documents you seek access to are not in the Agency's
possession or control.
I have therefore decided to refuse access to your request in accordance with section
24A(1)(b)(ii) of the FOI Act on the basis that I have conducted all reasonable searches and
am satisfied that the documents do not exist.
Rights of review
Your rights to seek a review of my decision, or lodge a complaint, are set out at
Attachment A.
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Should you have any enquiries concerning this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me
by email at
xxx@xxxx.xxx.xx.
Yours sincerely
Jane Heffernan
Branch Manager
Board Secretary, Ministerial and Parliamentary
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