International Conference of Information Commissioners (ICIC) issues statement supporting access to information
During the recent International Conference of Information Commissioners (ICIC) in June 2024, members of ICIC issued a statement on “Transparency and digital age: the information commissioner’s role and citizen empowerment”, highlighting the work of the Conference and detailing nine commitments for the future.
The statement recognises that access to information is a fundamental pillar of social, economic, and democratic governance, underscored by its inclusion in various international human rights instruments, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights. The ICIC statement emphasised that access to information is essential for individuals to exercise their rights and participate in governance.
There are four Australian members of the ICIC, including the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC). The OAIC gave a report on information access developments on behalf of all other Australian members, including the IPC NSW.
For the first time, the OAIC was elected as an ICIC committee member to represent Australia and to share lessons learned as the ICIC works to uplift access to public information globally. Acting Australian Information Commissioner and former NSW Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Tydd, will lead the efforts on behalf of Australia at the ICIC.
The 2024 ICIC was held in Tirana, Albania and virtually from 3 – 5 June 2024 and is a global forum that connects member Information Commissioners responsible for the protection and promotion of access to information and transparency laws. Further information about the ICIC can be found via their website.
