Dear William Green

Freedom of Information Request: Acknowledgement

Thank you for your request of 17 August 2022, made under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), for copies of documents held by the
National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).

Scope of your request

You have requested access to the following documents:

…all the names of all law firms engaed [sic] for legal services both past
and present. An example would be Clayton Utz as recently reported by The
Guardian to be representing the NDIA/NDIS against a participant.

Can you also kindly provide anonymised statistics of how many legal
disputes each currently engaged legal firm is representing the NDIA/NDIS
against NDIS participants? An example would be if Clayton UTZ is
representing the NDIA/NDIS against five participants, ten participants.

Unless you advise otherwise, we will take it that you agree to the names
and contact details of NDIA staff being excluded from the scope of your
request (that is, the information will be treated as irrelevant).

Processing timeframes

A 30-day statutory period for processing your request commenced from 18
August 2022, in accordance with section 15(2A)(c) of the FOI Act. You
should, therefore, expect a decision from us by 16 September 2022.

This period may be extended if we need to consult with third parties or
for other reasons. We will advise you if this happens.

Charges

We may apply a processing charge to your request and will advise you as
soon as practicable if a charge is payable.

Disclosure Log

Information released under the FOI Act may be published on the NDIA’s
disclosure log located on our website, subject to certain exceptions.

If you have any concerns about the publication of information you have
requested, please contact us.

Further help

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

We will contact you using the email address you provided. Please advise if
you would prefer us to use an alternative means of contact.

Kind regards

Freedom of Information Officer

Parliamentary, Ministerial and FOI Branch

Government Division

National Disability Insurance Agency

E: [2][NDIA request email]

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

[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

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[NDIA request email]
2. mailto:[NDIA request email]
4. https://intranet.ndiastaff.ndia.gov.au/h...

Dear William Green

Thank you for your request for information. We are writing to seek
clarification of part of the scope of your request.

Scope of your request

You have requested access to:

…all the names of all law firms engaed [sic] for legal services both past
and present. An example would be Clayton Utz as recently reported by The
Guardian to be representing the NDIA/NDIS against a participant.

Can you also kindly provide anonymised statistics of how many legal
disputes each currently engaged legal firm is representing the NDIA/NDIS
against NDIS participants? An example would be if Clayton UTZ is
representing the NDIA/NDIS against five participants, ten participants.

Clarification of Scope

We are seeking to clarify the second part of your request for information.
We have interpreted your request for statistics about legal firms
representing the NDIA to be limited to those involved in disputes relating
to participant’s plans.

Next steps

Please let us know by 8 September 2022 if we have correctly interpreted
the scope of your request. If we do not hear from you by this date, we
will proceed on the basis that we have correctly interpreted your scope.

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

Kind regards

Freedom of Information Officer

Parliamentary, Ministerial and FOI Branch

Government Division

National Disability Insurance Agency

E: [2][NDIA request email]

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

[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

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[NDIA request email]
2. mailto:[NDIA request email]

Dear William Green

Thank you for your request for information.

We’re sorry to let you know that it’s taken us longer than expected to
process your request. This is because we have identified a need for
additional internal consultation within the agency to determine what
sensitivities must be considered before making a decision on your request.

We are therefore writing to seek your agreement to a 14-day extension of
time to process your request for information under section 15AA of the FOI
Act. If you agree to this extension, the new due date will be 30 September
2022.

Please let us know whether you agree by 12:00pm 16 September 2022.

If you don’t agree, we may need to seek an extension from the Office of
Australian Information Commissioner.

We’re sorry that it’s taken us longer than expected and we appreciate your
patience.

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

Kind regards

Freedom of Information Officer

Parliamentary, Ministerial and FOI Branch

Government Division

National Disability Insurance Agency

E: [2][NDIA request email]

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

[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

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[NDIA request email]
2. mailto:[NDIA request email]
4. https://intranet.ndiastaff.ndia.gov.au/h...

Our reference: RQ22/03360

Agency reference: FOI 22/23-0311

Dear Mr Green

Please find attached a decision granting the National Disability Insurance
Agency additional time to make a decision on your FOI request to 30
September 2022.

Yours sincerely

Natalie Vuleta

[1][IMG]   Investigations and Compliance

Freedom of Information Regulatory Group

Office of the Australian Information
Commissioner

GPO Box 5218 Sydney NSW 2001  |
 [2]oaic.gov.au

1300 363 992 [3][email address]
[4][IMG] | [5][IMG] | [6][IMG] |   [7]Subscribe to OAICnet newsletter

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://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
2. https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
3. mailto:[email address]
4. https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
5. https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
6. https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
7. https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

Our reference: RQ22/03557

Agency reference: FOI 22/23-0311

William Green

Sent by email: [1][FOI #9284 email]

Extension of time application by National Disability Insurance Agency

Dear Mr Green

I write to advise that on 30 September 2022 the Office of the Australian
Information Commissioner (the OAIC) received an application from the
National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) for an extension of time, to
process your FOI request of 17 August 2022.

The NDIA has applied for an extension of time under s 15AB of the Freedom
of Information Act 1982 (Cth) because your request is considered to be
complex.

The NDIA has advised the OAIC that:

·       The request is complex as it requires multiple internal
consultations as well as the possible need for multiple third-party
consultations.

·       The request is complex as the NDIA need to seek legal advice
regarding multiple exemptions that may be applicable.

The NDIA has requested an extension to 6 November 2022. I will take any
comments you may have to make into account when deciding the application.

Please respond to this email by close of business 27 October 2022. If I
do not hear from you by this date, the decision maker will make a decision
on the basis of the information provided to me by the NDIA.

You will be notified of the decision once the matter has been finalised.

Further information about extension of time requests may be found on our
website at [2]Extensions of time.

Contact

If you have any questions regarding this email please contact us via email
to [3][email address]. Please quote OAIC reference: RQ22/03557 in all
correspondence.

Kind regards

Noah Harris

[4][IMG]   Intake and Early Resolution Team

Freedom of Information Regulatory Group

Office of the Australian Information
Commissioner

GPO Box 5218 Sydney NSW 2001  |
 [5]oaic.gov.au

1300 363 992 [6][email address]
[7][IMG] | [8][IMG] | [9][IMG] |   [10]Subscribe to OAICnet newsletter

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:[FOI #9284 email]
2. https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor...
3. mailto:[email address]
4. https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
5. https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
6. mailto:[email address]
7. https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
8. https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
9. https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
10. https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

Dear William Green

Thank you for your request for information.

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

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

Thank you.

Kind regards

Freedom of Information Officer

Parliamentary, Ministerial and FOI Branch

Government Division

National Disability Insurance Agency

E: [2][NDIA request email]

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

[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

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[NDIA request email]
2. mailto:[NDIA request email]
4. https://intranet.ndiastaff.ndia.gov.au/h...

Our reference: RQ22/03557

Agency reference: FOI 22/23-0311

Mr William Green

By email: [1][FOI #9284 email]

Cc: [2][NDIA request email]

Extension of time under s 15AB

Dear Mr Green

Please find attached an extension of time decision relating to your FOI
request with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). A copy of
this decision has been provided to the NDIA today.

Kind regards

Noah Harris

[3][IMG]   Intake and Early Resolution Team

Freedom of Information Regulatory Group

Office of the Australian Information
Commissioner

GPO Box 5218 Sydney NSW 2001  |
 [4]oaic.gov.au

1300 363 992 [5][email address]
[6][IMG] | [7][IMG] | [8][IMG] |   [9]Subscribe to OAICnet newsletter

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:[FOI #9284 email]
2. mailto:[NDIA request email]
3. https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
4. https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
5. mailto:[email address]
6. https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
7. https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
8. https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
9. https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...