You have contacted the Freedom of Information (FOI) inbox at the
Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (the department).

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. If you have a non-FOI related enquiry, you can contact the
department by using our [1]online enquiry form.

Kind regards

Information Law Team

Department of Employment and Workplace Relations

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 488 064 during business hours (8:30am - 5pm Canberra
time) and delete all copies of this transmission together with any
attachments.

References

Visible links
1. https://www.dewr.gov.au/about-department...

Dear Mr Buckley

We refer to your request received by the Department of Employment and
Workplace Relations (department) on 28 August 2025 for access under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) to the following documents:

“Please provide, in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of
Information Act 1982, all information about and records of communication
since 1/9/2024 relating to the National Autism Strategy (NAS) that was
released earlier this year (2025) between officials in your department
(Department of Employment and Workplace Relations) and the Department of
Social Security (especially its NAS Oversight Committee or its
Secretariat).

Notably, the web page
[1]https://www.health.gov.au/committees-and...
shows that Ms Nadine Groney from DEWR was a member of the NAS Oversight
Council so her communication with DSS officials relating to the NAS are of
interest.”

Your reference number for this request is LEX 1734. Please include this
reference number in all correspondence relating to your request.

Timeframe

The 30-day statutory period for processing your request commenced from the
day after the department received your request. You should therefore
expect to receive a decision from us by Monday 29 September 2025. The
30-day timeframe may be extended with your agreement or where otherwise
permitted under the FOI Act (for example, if the department is required to
undertake third party consultation). We will notify you if this happens.

Your address

The FOI Act requires that you provide us with an address that we can send
notices to. You have informed us that your electronic address is
[2][FOI #13550 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 the
department’s FOI disclosure log, subject to certain exceptions. These
exceptions include where publication of personal, business, professional
or commercial information would be unreasonable.

Proposed irrelevant material (such as staff details) and material that is
out of scope

The department will treat the following as irrelevant under section
22(1)(a)(ii) of the FOI Act unless you tell us otherwise by the timeframe
outlined below:

o the names, signatures, identification numbers and direct contact
details of Commonwealth staff and Ministerial Office staff
o internal group email addresses of Commonwealth agencies
o security classifications (dissemination limiting markers) that are no
longer applicable or potentially misleading.

The department will treat any duplicate documents, email chains other than
the final version of the chain, drafts where there is a final version
available, and documents that are publicly available as out of scope of
your request.

The department will take the above approach when processing your request
unless you tell us otherwise by Friday 12 September 2025.

Further assistance

If you have any questions about your request, please email
[3][email address].

Yours sincerely

Chris

Information Law Team
Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
[4]dewr.gov.au

The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations acknowledges the
traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia and
their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our
respects to them and their cultures, and Elders past, present and
emerging.

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 488 064 during business hours (8:30am - 5pm Canberra
time) and delete all copies of this transmission together with any
attachments.

References

Visible links
1. https://www.health.gov.au/committees-and...
2. mailto:[FOI #13550 email]
3. mailto:[email address]
4. https://www.dewr.gov.au/

Dear Mr Buckley,

Your Freedom of Information request - Notification of extended timeframe

I refer to your request for access under the Freedom of Information Act
1982 (FOI Act). Your request covers documents that contain information
concerning the business, commercial or financial affairs of a number of
organisations. As such, the department is required to consult with any
affected third parties concerned (under section 27 of the FOI Act) before
making a decision on the release of their information.

Affected third party consultation

Affected third parties will be asked if they object to the disclosure and
invited to provide reasons and evidence for their submissions. While any
comments made by affected third parties will be taken into account, the
department is obliged to form its own views in making a decision about
whether to grant you access to the documents you requested.

Extended timeframe

The period for processing your request has been extended by 30 days in
order to allow the department sufficient time to consult with any affected
third parties in accordance with section 15(6) of the FOI Act.

The new decision date for your request is 27 October 2025.

Consent to disclose your identity

Please advise if you consent to being named as the applicant to any
affected third parties for the purpose of consultation by 29 September
2025.

We will not disclose your identity to any affected third parties without
your consent. While you are under no obligation to reveal your identity as
the applicant, in our experience, third parties will generally be more
likely to object to the release of their information if they do not know
who the applicant is.

Further assistance

If you have any questions about your request, please email
[1][email address].

Yours sincerely,

Chris

Information Law Team
Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations

[2]dewr.gov.au

The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations acknowledges the
traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia and
their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our
respects to them and their cultures, and Elders past, present and
emerging.

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 488 064 during business hours (8:30am - 5pm Canberra
time) and delete all copies of this transmission together with any
attachments.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.dewr.gov.au/