Information on interviewees for the Autism Early Intervention Consultation Paper

National Disability Insurance Agency did not have the information requested.

Dear National Disability Insurance Agency,

Hello, I have been informed that the recent March 2021 consultation paper on early intervention for children on the autism spectrum was written with the help of 58 interviews and other input from relevant organisations and experts. I would like to request the names of these organisations or authorities/experts that were consulted during the writing of this paper. I would also like records of what input was given, and how the input affected the specific details given in the consultation paper.

Yours faithfully,

Claire C.

foi, National Disability Insurance Agency

Thank you for contacting the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).

 

Freedom of Information

 

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Further information about FOI is available on our website:
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Please contact us at [2][NDIA request email] if you have any questions or
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Warm regards

 

NDIA FOI Team
Email: [6][email address]

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foi, National Disability Insurance Agency

2 Attachments

Dear Claire C

 

Thank you for your request for information.

 

Please find attached correspondence in relation to your request. If you
require the attachment in a different format, please let us know.

 

We will process your request as quickly as possible. We will also keep in
regular contact with you, especially if there's any delay. At this stage,
you can expect to hear from us on or before 17 May 2021.

 

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

 

Kind regards

 

 

Freedom of Information Officer

Parliamentary, Ministerial & FOI Branch

Government Division

National Disability Insurance Agency

 

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

 

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1. mailto:[NDIA request email]

foi, National Disability Insurance Agency

1 Attachment

Dear Claire C

 

Thank you for your request for information.

 

The Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) provides a person a legally
enforceable right to obtain access to documents; however, the FOI Act does
not impose an obligation on a Commonwealth entity to provide documents
already in the public domain, or otherwise publicly accessible.

 

We have undertaken reasonable searches and identified that the documents
you are seeking are publicly available.

 

For your convenience, I provide here links to the public documents you are
seeking access to:

·       AutismCRC’s [1]Interventions for children on the autism spectrum
research paper  

 

Consultations with relevant business areas revealed that your request
relates to an external research paper, titled ‘Interventions for children
on the autism spectrum,’ specifically a section of the paper titled
‘Umbrella Review.’ We note this passage taken from the consultation paper:

 

“…The (umbrella) review paper presents summaries of the latest research
evidence on interventions for children on the autism spectrum. This
included 58 interviews and 1787 unique studies.”

 

The complete research paper, including sources and references, can be
obtained on [2]AutismCRC’s website. We note that an email registration is
required to obtain the report, but it is otherwise free of cost.

 

Given the documents and information you are seeking are publicly
available, we are closing your request.

 

Please contact us at [3][NDIA request email] if you have any questions.

 

Kind regards

 

Freedom of Information Officer

Parliamentary, Ministerial and FOI Branch

Government Division

National Disability Insurance Agency

E: [4][NDIA request email]

[5]NDIA

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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1. https://www.autismcrc.com.au/interventio...
2. https://www.autismcrc.com.au/
3. mailto:[NDIA request email]
4. mailto:[NDIA request email]

Dear foi,

Thank you for your reply. The full Autism CRC report you linked me to does NOT list 58 interview subjects. The word "interviews" does not occur in the report. The word "interview" appears once in the context of the phrase "Autism Diagnostic Interview" in a table. The number "58" occurs in reference to systemic reviews, not interviews. Interviews and systematic reviews are two entirely different things.

Is the list of interview subjects available elsewhere? If not, why did the NDIS consultation paper state, as you noted:

“…The (umbrella) review paper presents summaries of the latest research
evidence on interventions for children on the autism spectrum. This
included 58 interviews and 1787 unique studies.”

... if interviews did not actually occur?

Yours sincerely,

Claire C.

National Disability Insurance Agency

2 Attachments

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    Internal review of Freedom of Information request Information on interviewees for the Autism Early Intervention Consultation Paper.txt

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Dear National Disability Insurance Agency,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of National Disability Insurance Agency's handling of my FOI request 'Information on interviewees for the Autism Early Intervention Consultation Paper'.

The full Autism CRC report I was linked to does NOT list 58 interview subjects. The word "interviews" does not occur in the report. The word "interview" appears once in the context of the phrase "Autism Diagnostic Interview" in a table. The number "58" occurs in reference to systemic reviews, not interviews. Interviews and systematic reviews are two entirely different things.

Is the list of interview subjects available elsewhere? If not, why did the NDIS consultation paper state, as you noted:

“…The (umbrella) review paper presents summaries of the latest research
evidence on interventions for children on the autism spectrum. This
included 58 interviews and 1787 unique studies.”

... if interviews did not actually occur?

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/i...

Yours faithfully,

Claire C.

foi, National Disability Insurance Agency

1 Attachment

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Dear Claire C

 

Thank you for your further correspondence in relation to this request.

 

The FOI Team has reviewed the documents and consulted with the relevant
business area.

 

We have identified that there was a typographical error in the March 2021
Consultation paper: Interventions for children on the autism spectrum
(Autism Consultation Paper). As you have pointed out, the text currently
reads on page 8 of the Autism Consultation Paper:

 

This included 58 interviews and 1787 unique studies.

 

The correct text should read:

 

This included 58 reviews from 1787 unique studies.

 

Thank you for bringing this to our attention, we have alerted the line
area to the issue in the Consultation Paper.

 

Given the reference to interviews was a typographical error, I can advise
that NDIA personnel did not conduct 58 interviews and we do not hold any
documents relevant to the scope of your request.

 

As linked in our previous correspondence, Autism CRC’s report,
Interventions for children on the autism spectrum: A synthesis of research
evidence (Autism Interventions Evidence Report) is available in full on
their website. There is also summary information available on the NDIS
website [5]here. The Autism Consultation Report relied upon the high
quality, and comprehensive evidence from Autism CRC’s Autism Interventions
Evidence Report. If you have further questions about the research
methodology for the Autism Interventions Evidence Report, they may be best
directed to Autism CRC who authored the report.

 

We apologise again for any inconvenience caused with this typographical
error.

 

In light of this information, please advise us by 5:00pm 15 June 2021
whether you would like to withdraw your request for internal review.

 

Please do not hesitate to contact us at [6][NDIA request email] if you would
like to discuss the matter further.

 

Freedom of Information Officer

Parliamentary, Ministerial and FOI Branch

Government Division

National Disability Insurance Agency

E: [7][NDIA request email]

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

 

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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