Dear Department of Social Services,

Please provide data from the NDIS Appeals Advocacy Program on:

1. the number of NDIS participants assisted with internal plan reviews over the past financial year;
2. the number of NDIS participants assisted with external appeals over the past financial year;
3. the number of NDIS applicants assisted with internal access reviews over the past financial year;
4. the number of NDIS applicants assisted with external access appeals over the past financial year.

Yours faithfully,

SH

FOI, Department of Social Services

Thank you for your email.

 

You have contacted the Freedom of Information (FOI) team of the Department
of Social Services (the Department).

 

If your email relates to a Freedom of Information application made under
the Commonwealth Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), the Department
will respond to you as soon as practicable.

 

Further information about FOI is available on our website at:
[1]https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-departm...

 

This email address is for applications under the FOI Act only. The
Department is unable to respond to non-FOI related enquiries sent to this
email address. Any correspondence received that is not an information
access request will not be responded to or forwarded. Should you have a
query unrelated to FOI, please complete our [2]online feedback, enquiry or
compliment form on our website or direct your email to
[3][email address].  Alternatively you can contact the Department by
calling 1800 634 035.

 

With regards

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Freedom of Information

Legal Services Branch

Department of Social Services
E: [4][Department of Social Services request email]

 

The Department of Social Services acknowledges the traditional owners of
country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
water and community.

We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders both past
and present.

 

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References

Visible links
1. https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-departm...
2. https://www.dss.gov.au/contact/feedback-...
3. mailto:[email address]
4. mailto:[Department of Social Services request email]

FOI, Department of Social Services

Dear SH,

 

I refer to your correspondence received by the Department of Social
Services (the Department) on 7 June 2022, in which you requested access
under the Commonwealth Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) to:

 

“data from the NDIS Appeals Advocacy Program on :

1. the number of NDIS participants assisted with internal plan reviews
over the past financial year; 2. the number of NDIS participants assisted
with external appeals over the past financial year; 3. the number of NDIS
applicants assisted with internal access reviews over the past financial
year; 4. the number of NDIS applicants assisted with external access
appeals over the past financial year.”

 

Removal of non-SES staff names and contact details

The Department is seeking your agreement to the removal of the names and
contact details of non-Senior Executive Service (non-SES) staff, which may
be contained within the documents identified in relation to your request.

 

Please respond to this email by close of business Friday, 10 June 2022 to
advise whether you agree that this information may be removed

 

Decision due

The statutory period for processing your request is 30 days commencing
from the day after your request was received. If the due date falls on a
Saturday, Sunday, or public holiday, in accordance with the FOI guidelines
issued by the Australian Information Commissioner, the timeframe will
expire on the first day following which is none of those days.

 

In accordance with paragraph (b) of subsection 15(5) of the FOI Act, a
decision on your request currently falls due on Thursday 7 July 2022.

 

When the processing period may be extended or suspended

 The current due date may be extended by up to 30 days if agreed by you
(section 15AA of the FOI Act). The due date may also be extended by an
additional 30 days in each instance, if your request is considered
voluminous or complex (section 15AB of the FOI Act) or if the Department
is required to undertake a third party consultation (sections 26A, 27 or
27A of the FOI Act). If any of these extensions apply, the Department will
notify you.  

Additionally, there are occasions where the time to process your request
may be suspended. This will usually take place if a practical refusal
consultation process takes place (section 24AB of the FOI Act) or if a
charges notice is issued to process your request (section 29 of the FOI
Act). If the Department decides that either of these apply to your
request, the Department will notify you.

The Department will correspond with you by email in relation to your FOI
request. 

 

Should you have any queries about this matter, please do not hesitate to
contact the FOI team via email at [1][Department of Social Services request email].

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

Paula

FOI Officer

Freedom of Information section

Legal Services Branch

Department of Social Services
E: [2][email address]

 

The Department of Social Services acknowledges the traditional owners of
country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
water and community.

We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders both past
and present. 

 

 

show quoted sections

Dear FOI,

Yes I agree to the request to remove non-SES staff names and contact details.

Yours sincerely,

SH

FOI, Department of Social Services

Thank you for your email.

 

You have contacted the Freedom of Information (FOI) team of the Department
of Social Services (the Department).

 

If your email relates to a Freedom of Information application made under
the Commonwealth Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), the Department
will respond to you as soon as practicable.

 

Further information about FOI is available on our website at:
[1]https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-departm...

 

This email address is for applications under the FOI Act only. The
Department is unable to respond to non-FOI related enquiries sent to this
email address. Any correspondence received that is not an information
access request will not be responded to or forwarded. Should you have a
query unrelated to FOI, please complete our [2]online feedback, enquiry or
compliment form on our website or direct your email to
[3][email address].  Alternatively you can contact the Department by
calling 1800 634 035.

 

With regards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Freedom of Information

Legal Services Branch

Department of Social Services
E: [4][Department of Social Services request email]

 

The Department of Social Services acknowledges the traditional owners of
country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
water and community.

We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders both past
and present.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-departm...
2. https://www.dss.gov.au/contact/feedback-...
3. mailto:[email address]
4. mailto:[Department of Social Services request email]

FOI, Department of Social Services

Dear SH

 

I write in relation to the progress of your FOI request.

 

On 9 June 2022, you were advised that the statutory deadline for a
response to your FOI request was 30 days commencing from the day after
your request was received. That date was 7 July 2022.

 

Unfortunately, given the current workload of the case officer assigned to
this request and recent staff turnover, we are going to have difficulty
meeting that timeframe. To that end, we seek your agreement to a 15 day
extension of time under section 15AA of the Commonwealth FOI Act. Your
agreement will ensure that the Department can meet the statutory deadline
for processing the request and be not be deemed to have refused your
request for access which does, in turn, impacts on your review rights. If
we are able to provide you with the decision earlier than that we will of
course do so.

 

It would be appreciated if you could provide a response to this extension
request by 12.00 noon 7 July 2022.

 

If you wish to discuss this matter further or have any queries, please do
not hesitate to contact me.

 

 

Paula

FOI Officer

Freedom of Information section

Legal Services Branch

Department of Social Services
E: [1][email address]

 

The Department of Social Services acknowledges the traditional owners of
country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
water and community.

We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders both past
and present. 

 

 

 

show quoted sections

Dear FOI,

Yes, I agree to an extension.

Yours sincerely,

SH

FOI, Department of Social Services

Thank you for your email.

 

You have contacted the Freedom of Information (FOI) team of the Department
of Social Services (the Department).

 

If your email relates to a Freedom of Information application made under
the Commonwealth Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), the Department
will respond to you as soon as practicable.

 

Further information about FOI is available on our website at:
[1]https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-departm...

 

This email address is for applications under the FOI Act only. The
Department is unable to respond to non-FOI related enquiries sent to this
email address. Any correspondence received that is not an information
access request will not be responded to or forwarded. Should you have a
query unrelated to FOI, please complete our [2]online feedback, enquiry or
compliment form on our website or direct your email to
[3][email address].  Alternatively you can contact the Department by
calling 1800 634 035.

 

With regards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Freedom of Information

Legal Services Branch

Department of Social Services
E: [4][Department of Social Services request email]

 

The Department of Social Services acknowledges the traditional owners of
country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
water and community.

We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders both past
and present.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-departm...
2. https://www.dss.gov.au/contact/feedback-...
3. mailto:[email address]
4. mailto:[Department of Social Services request email]

BEATON, Paula, Department of Social Services

3 Attachments

 

Good morning,

 

Please find attached the decision and document for FOI Lex 44841.

 

For your assistance we have also attached a document outlining your review
rights.

 

DSS FOI Team

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Freedom of Information section

Legal Services Branch

Department of Social Services
E: [1][Department of Social Services request email]

 

The Department of Social Services acknowledges the traditional owners of
country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
water and community.

We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders both past
and present. 

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References

Visible links
1. mailto:[Department of Social Services request email]