NSW Information Commissioner highlights e-Governance and digital government this Right to Know Week NSW 2022

Today, the NSW Information Commissioner and Open Data Advocate, Elizabeth Tydd, launched Right to Know Week NSW 2022.

Right to Know Week NSW takes place this year from 26 September – 2 October 2022 and aims to raise awareness of a person’s right to access government held information, encourage citizens to take an active interest in their right to access information and remind agencies of their obligations in protecting citizens’ rights under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act).

The 2022 theme is ‘Artificial Intelligence, e-Governance & Access to Information: Next steps in NSW digital government’.

Government service delivery in NSW is increasingly digital, and more information is being collected, stored and applied using digital technology. These services allow citizens to have more convenient transactions with government and are changing the way government handles information, and should make it easier for citizens to access government information.

On this year’s theme, Commissioner Tydd said, “The Right to Know remains crucial in this digital age. As governments continue to provide digital solutions to citizens including the use of Artificial Intelligence in decision-making, there is a requirement to preserve and promote the public interest, accountability, transparency and citizens’ right to information.

“NSW has embraced a digital transformation into e-Government and that transformation must be accompanied by e-Governance to ensure government remains accountable and transparent. Government has a duty to use new technologies to enable citizens to access information and participate in government decision making. E-Governance is the digital realisation of an open, accountable participative democracy”, said Commissioner Tydd.

During Right to Know Week NSW, the Information Commissioner will be speaking on a panel at UNESCO’s Global Conference on Universal Access to Information on 28 – 29 September in Tashkent, Uzbekistan to raise awareness and promote citizens’ right to information.

For agencies, the IPC is highlighting resources to promote and uphold citizens’ rights to access government held information in NSW. These include:

• Information Governance Agency Self-assessment Tools
• Fact Sheet on Automated decision-making, digital government and preserving information access rights – for agencies
• Fact Sheet on Automated decision-making, digital government and preserving information access rights – for citizens
• Fact Sheet on Digital records and the GIPA Act
• Fact Sheet on Timeframes and extensions for deciding access applications under the GIPA Act
• Fact Sheet on Creating new records under the GIPA Act
• Fact Sheet on Open access information for agencies
• Fact Sheet on What is an agency?
• Fact Sheet on What is the public interest test?

For citizens, the IPC has developed a new animation on e-Governance and digital government which highlights the importance of transforming e-Government into e-Governance. The animation calls on citizens to recognise their right to access digital information and to hold government to account.

More information, including events taking place during the week and resources on information access rights in NSW, are available on the Right to Know Week NSW 2022 website.

ENDS

For further information, please contact:

The Manager, Communications and Corporate Affairs on 0435 961 691 or email communications@ipc.nsw.gov.au

About the Information and Privacy Commission:

The Information and Privacy Commission NSW (IPC) is an independent statutory authority that administers New South Wales’ legislation dealing with privacy and access to government information. The IPC supports the Information Commissioner and the Privacy Commissioner in fulfilling their legislative responsibilities and functions and to ensure individuals and agencies can access consistent information, guidance and coordinated training about information access and privacy matters.

About the NSW Information Commissioner

The NSW Information Commissioner’s statutory role includes promoting public awareness and understanding of the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act); providing information, advice, assistance and training to agencies and the public; dealing with complaints about agencies; investigating agencies’ systems, policies and practices; and reporting on compliance with the GIPA Act.

The Government Information (Information Commissioner) Act 2009 (GIIC Act) establishes the procedures for appointing the Information Commissioner and sets out the Commissioner's powers and functions. It outlines the method for people to complain about the conduct of agencies when undertaking their duties under the GIPA Act, and the way in which the Information Commissioner may deal with the complaint. The GIIC Act also enables the Information Commissioner to investigate and report on how agencies carry out their functions under the GIPA Act.

For further information about the IPC visit our website at http://www.ipc.nsw.gov.au

Download a copy of the Media Release here.