Parents with disability who are participants of the NDIS
Dear National Disability Insurance Agency,
Subject: Freedom of Information Request: Data and Policies on Parents with Disabilities in the NDIS
Dear Freedom of Information Officer,
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to formally request information under the Freedom of Information Act. My inquiry is focused on obtaining data and documents related to parents with disabilities who are participants in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Information Requested
Demographic Data:
Could you please provide the number of NDIS participants who are parents, broken down by age group and type of disability?
Of these parents, how many are partnered, single, or sole parents?
Children with NDIS Plans:
I would like to know the number of children of parent participants who also have NDIS plans.
Average Funding:
Could you provide the average funding amount allocated to parent participants, further broken down by type of disability and age group?
Supports for Informal Caregivers:
I am interested in any information on supports available to informal caregivers of parent participants.
Special Considerations:
Are there any documents outlining special considerations or policies aimed at supporting disabled parents, particularly sole/single disabled parents?
Fee Waiver Request
I kindly request that any fees associated with this request be waived, as the information is sought in the public interest and could contribute to a greater understanding of how the NDIS supports parents with disabilities.
Timeframe
I understand that under the Act, you are required to respond to this request within a specified timeframe. Could you please confirm receipt of this email and keep me updated on its status?
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your prompt response.
Thank you
Renee
Thank you for your email to the National Disability Insurance Agency
(NDIA) Freedom of Information (FOI) team.
If your email relates to an FOI application made under the
Commonwealth Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), we will respond to
you as soon as practicable.
This email address is for applications under the FOI Act only. Our team is
unable to respond to non-FOI related enquiries sent to this email address.
Any correspondence received that is not related to an FOI request will not
be responded to or forwarded.
Please be aware: due to a high volume of requests, our ability to respond
to you in a timely manner has been affected. However, we will action your
request as soon as possible. In addition, we are currently experiencing
delays in processing FOI requests. As a result, whilst we will endeavour
to process your matter within the [1]legislative deadlines, we may need to
ask for an extension of time. We appreciate your understanding if this is
required.
The NDIA has a number of other ways to access the documents and
information that we hold. Please visit our [2]Access to
Information webpage to find out more about accessing information
through:
o The [3]myplace portal for participants
o The [4]myplace portal for providers
o The [5]Participant Information Access (PIA) scheme
o The [6]Information Publication Scheme (IPS)
You can also request data and statistics outside of the FOI Act. Please
visit our [7]Data and insights webpage page for further information.
Information about how to make an FOI request can be found on our
website: [8]Freedom of Information | NDIS. The FOI Act sets out the
criteria that must be met for a request to be considered. The request you
send us must:
o be in writing
o state that the request is an application for the purposes of the FOI
Act
o provide enough information to allow us to identify the documents you
are requesting
o provide an address for reply, either electronic or hard copy.
If you have questions about making an FOI request, or to enquire about a
current FOI request, please email us with your preferred contact method
and an FOI Decision Maker will contact you.
Should you have a query unrelated to FOI, please contact the Agency by
email at [9][email address] or via webchat at [10]NDIA Web Chat
(ndis.gov.au). Alternatively, you can also contact us by phoning 1800 800
110.
Kind regards
Freedom of Information Team
Parliamentary, Ministerial and FOI Branch
Government Division
National Disability Insurance Agency
E: [11][NDIA request email]
References
Visible links
1. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
2. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
3. https://www.ndis.gov.au/participants/usi...
4. https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/workin...
5. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
6. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
7. https://data.ndis.gov.au/
8. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
9. mailto:[email address]
10. https://nccchat.ndis.gov.au/i3root/
11. mailto:[NDIA request email]
Dear Renee
Freedom of Information Request: Acknowledgement
Thank you for your request of 1 September 2023, made under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), for copies of documents held by the
National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), as follows:
…data and documents related to parents with disabilities who are
participants in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Demographic Data:
· Could you please provide the number of NDIS participants who are
parents, broken down by age group and type of disability? Of these
parents, how many are partnered, single, or sole parents?
· Children with NDIS Plans: I would like to know the number of
children of parent participants who also have NDIS plans.
· Average Funding: Could you provide the average funding amount
allocated to parent participants, further broken down by type of
disability and age group?
Supports for Informal Caregivers: I am interested in any information on
supports available to informal caregivers of parent participants.
Special Considerations: Are there any documents outlining special
considerations or policies aimed at supporting disabled parents,
particularly sole/single disabled parents?
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
The due date for us to provide you with a decision on access is 1 October
2023.
We have started processing your request. Should we experience any delays
during processing, we will contact you to request your agreement to an
extension of the processing time, under section 15AA of the FOI Act.
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
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[NDIA request email]
2. mailto:[NDIA request email]
4. https://intranet.ndiastaff.ndia.gov.au/h...
Dear foi,
Thank you I appreciate your upholding transparency and access to information.
Yours sincerely,
Renee
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Dear Renee
Thank you for your request for information.
We are continuing to process your request for information and have been
consulting with our business areas for document searches. Our team is
experiencing high workloads and limited resources, which are impacting our
processing times.
The current due date for us to provide you with our decision is 1 October
2023. We are requesting a 12-day extension of time to process your request
under section 15AA of the FOI Act. If you agree to this extension the new
due date for our decision will be Friday 13 October 2023.
Please respond by reply email to advise if you agree by 29 September 2023.
If you do not agree, we may need to seek an extension of time from the
Office of Australian Information Commissioner.
Please contact us at [1][NDIA request email] if you have any questions or
require help.
Kind regards
Miriam
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
Dear Renee
Thank you for your request for information.
Please find attached correspondence and documents 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
Your account with a new passphrase has been successfully set.
You can access your account by clicking on the following URL:
https://securemail.humanservices.gov.au/...
Please copy and paste the URL into your browser. If you encounter any issues, please close and reopen your browser
before navigating to the URL again.
Dear National Disability Insurance Agency,
Thank you for providing the link to set up an account with a passphrase. However, I would like to keep the information related to this Freedom of Information request public as it was originally intended when posted on the public platform. My intention is to ensure transparency and access to information for all interested parties. Please do not make the information private. If there are any further steps required for public access, please let me know.
Yours faithfully,
Renee
Thank you for your email to the National Disability Insurance Agency
(NDIA) Freedom of Information (FOI) team.
Reduced Activity Period
The NDIA have a Reduced Activity Period from Saturday 23 December 2023 to
Monday 1 January 2024.
Therefore, any enquiries received between these dates will be responded to
after Tuesday 2 January 2024.
Please note: due to a high volume of requests, our ability to respond to
you in a timely manner may be affected.
We will action your request as soon as possible and will endeavour to
process your matter within the legislative deadlines. We may need to seek
your agreement to an extension of time. We appreciate your understanding
if this is required.
Participant Information
Did you know the NDIA has other ways to access the documents and
information that we hold?
Participants, Guardians and Nominees can obtain copies of some participant
information through our National Contact Centre (NCC). For more
information about what’s available through the NCC, please contact 1800
800 110.
Please visit our [1]Access to Information webpage to find out more about
accessing information through:
* The [2]Participant Information Access (PIA) scheme
* The [3]Information Publication Scheme (IPS)
* The [4]myplace portal for participants
* The [5]myplace portal for providers
Access to Data
You can also request data and statistics. Please visit our [6]Data and
insights webpage page for further information.
If you are able to obtain your information from a source listed above, you
can withdraw your FOI request by emailing [7][NDIA request email]
Further Information
Information about how to make an FOI request can be found on our website:
[8]Freedom of Information
Should you have a query unrelated to FOI, please contact the Agency by
email at [9][email address] or via webchat at [10]ndis.gov.au.
Alternatively, you can also contact us by phoning 1800 800 110.
Kind regards
Freedom of Information Team
Parliamentary, Ministerial and FOI Branch
Government Division
National Disability Insurance Agency
E: [NDIA request email]
References
Visible links
1. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
2. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
3. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
4. https://www.ndis.gov.au/participants/usi...
https://www.ndis.gov.au/participants/usi...
5. https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/workin...
https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/workin...
6. https://data.ndis.gov.au/
https://data.ndis.gov.au/
7. mailto:[NDIA request email]
mailto:[NDIA request email]
8. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
9. mailto:[email address]
mailto:[email address]
10. https://www.ndis.gov.au/
https://www.ndis.gov.au/
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 'Parents with disability who are participants of the NDIS'.
The response to my request is long overdue. By law, under all circumstances, the FOI department of the NDIA should have responded to this by now.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/p...
Yours faithfully,
Renee
Thank you for your email to the National Disability Insurance Agency
(NDIA) Freedom of Information (FOI) team.
Please note: due to a high volume of requests, our ability to respond to
you in a timely manner may be affected. We will action your request as
soon as possible and will endeavour to process your matter within the
legislative deadlines. We may need to seek your agreement to an extension
of time. We appreciate your understanding if this is required.
Participant Information
Did you know the NDIA has other ways to access the documents and
information that we hold?
Participants, Guardians and Nominees can obtain copies of some participant
information through our National Contact Centre (NCC). For more
information about what’s available through the NCC, please contact 1800
800 110.
Please visit our [1]Access to Information webpage to find out more about
accessing information through:
* The [2]Participant Information Access (PIA) scheme
* The [3]Information Publication Scheme (IPS)
* The [4]myplace portal for participants
* The [5]myplace portal for providers
Access to Data
You can also request data and statistics. Please visit our [6]Data and
insights webpage page for further information.
If you are able to obtain your information from a source listed above, you
can withdraw your FOI request by emailing [7][NDIA request email]
Further Information
Information about how to make an FOI request can be found on our website:
[8]Freedom of Information
Should you have a query unrelated to FOI, please contact the Agency by
email at [9][email address] or via webchat at [10]ndis.gov.au.
Alternatively, you can also contact us by phoning 1800 800 110.
Kind regards
Freedom of Information Team
Complaints Management & FOI Branch
General Counsel Division
National Disability Insurance Agency
E [11][NDIA request email]
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.
References
Visible links
1. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
2. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
3. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
4. https://www.ndis.gov.au/participants/usi...
https://www.ndis.gov.au/participants/usi...
5. https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/workin...
https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/workin...
6. https://data.ndis.gov.au/
https://data.ndis.gov.au/
7. mailto:[NDIA request email]
mailto:[NDIA request email]
8. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
9. mailto:[email address]
mailto:[email address]
10. https://www.ndis.gov.au/
https://www.ndis.gov.au/
11. mailto:[NDIA request email]
Good morning Renee
Thank you for your request for an internal review of this deemed refusal
to provide you with access to the documents you requested. I apologise for
the delay in providing you with a decision on your original application,
which was occasioned when the decision-maker left the FOI team.
Your request has been registered as IR 23/24-032 and has been allocated to
me to manage.
A decision on your application is due on 19 March 2024. I am working to
meet this deadline but will be in touch again if I foresee any
difficulties in doing so.
Regards
Helen
Assistant Director – Freedom of Information
Complaints Management & FOI Branch
General Counsel Division
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.
Good afternoon Renee
Since sending the email below, I have realised that your application for
internal review is not valid.
This is because the NDIA failed to make a decision on your original
request within 30 days after receiving it. When this happens, the FOI Act
deems that the Chief Executive Officer of an agency has made a personal
decision to refuse access to the documents requested. No other agency
staff member is able to review such a "deemed refusal".
You continue to have a right to review by the Office of the Australian
Information Commissioner (OAIC). If you wish to make an application for
review to the OAIC, I am happy to advise on how to go about this.
In the meantime, I will continue working towards providing you with a
decision on your original request.
Regards
Helen
Assistant Director – Freedom of Information
Complaints Management & FOI Branch
General Counsel Division
National Disability Insurance Agency
[1]NDIA logo
[2]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.
[3]Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags graphic
------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: foi <[NDIA request email]>
Sent: 06 March 2024 11:43
To: [FOI #10651 email]
<[FOI #10651 email]>
Cc: foi <[NDIA request email]>
Subject: RE: Internal review of Freedom of Information request - Parents
with disability who are participants of the NDIS [SEC=OFFICIAL]
Good morning Renee
Thank you for your request for an internal review of this deemed refusal
to provide you with access to the documents you requested. I apologise for
the delay in providing you with a decision on your original application,
which was occasioned when the decision-maker left the FOI team.
Your request has been registered as IR 23/24-032 and has been allocated to
me to manage.
A decision on your application is due on 19 March 2024. I am working to
meet this deadline but will be in touch again if I foresee any
difficulties in doing so.
Regards
Helen
Assistant Director – Freedom of Information
Complaints Management & FOI Branch
General Counsel Division
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.
foi would like to recall the message, “Internal review of Freedom of Information request - Parents with disability who are participants of the NDIS [SEC=OFFICIAL]”.
********************************************************************** IMPORTANT: This e-mail is for the use of the intended recipient only and may contain information that is confidential, commercially valuable and/or subject to legal or parliamentary privilege. If you are not the intended recipient you are notified that any review, re-transmission, disclosure, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information is prohibited and may result in severe penalties. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify the sender immediately and delete all electronic and hard copies of this transmission together with any attachments. Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail **********************************************************************
Good afternoon Renee
Since sending you the email below, I have realised that your application
for internal review is not valid.
This is because the NDIA failed to make a decision on your original
application within 30 days after receiving it. In these circumstances, the
FOI Act deems that the Chief Executive Officer of the agency has decided
to refuse to provide access to documents. No one else in the agency is
able to carry out an internal review of such a “deemed refusal”.
You do have a right to review to the Office of the Australian Information
Commissioner (OAIC). You may also complain to the OAIC and/or the
Commonwealth Ombudsman about the way in which the NDIA handled your FOI
request.
I have attached a document that sets out these rights.
Earlier this afternoon, I sent you an email saying that I would continue
working towards making a decision on your original application. However,
this was sent in error and I ask that you disregard it; a decision was
made by my colleague Miriam and it is not possible for me to make a second
decision on the same application. I apologise for any confusion my error
has caused.
Regards
Helen
Assistant Director – Freedom of Information
Complaints Management & FOI Branch
General Counsel Division
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.
_____________________________________________
From: foi <[NDIA request email]>
Sent: Wednesday, March 6, 2024 11:44 AM
To: [FOI #10651 email]
Cc: foi <[NDIA request email]>
Subject: RE: Internal review of Freedom of Information request - Parents
with disability who are participants of the NDIS [SEC=OFFICIAL]
Good morning Renee
Thank you for your request for an internal review of this deemed refusal
to provide you with access to the documents you requested. I apologise for
the delay in providing you with a decision on your original application,
which was occasioned when the decision-maker left the FOI team.
Your request has been registered as IR 23/24-032 and has been allocated to
me to manage.
A decision on your application is due on 19 March 2024. I am working to
meet this deadline but will be in touch again if I foresee any
difficulties in doing so.
Regards
Helen
Assistant Director – Freedom of Information
Complaints Management & FOI Branch
General Counsel Division
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.