Right to Know Week NSW 2020
Right to Know Week
NSW 2020
Future-proofing information access rights
About Right to Know Week
Right to Know Week NSW is a campaign that marks International Day for Access to Information, celebrated internationally on 28 September. International Access to Information Day is a day on which citizens and governments from around the world can support this fundamental human right to access information and promote open, transparent government.
The objective of Right to Know Week NSW is to raise awareness of a person’s right to government held information and encourage citizens to take an active interest in their right to access information.
The 2020 theme is Right to Know: Future-proofing information access rights.
From the Information Commissioner
Right to Know Week NSW plays an important and active role in supporting NSW public agencies with their obligations in providing access to government information and data to the NSW community. This year the NSW Right to Know theme is Future Proofing Information Access Rights.
Increasingly government information is held in digital form, decision-making and services are increasingly automated. The community has a right to access NSW government information and the increasing digitisation of government has implications for how governments can improve outcomes for citizens seeking access to this information.
The increasing adoption of technology demands the preservation, assurance and assertion of information access rights. To achieve these outcomes, government licensing and contractual arrangements should ensure accessibility and ‘explainability’ in the provision of government services and decision making.
In upholding the right to access information, individuals can understand and have confidence in how decisions are made and, importantly, assert their rights in respect of those decisions.
There has never been a more important time to recognise the intrinsic value of the right to access to information and the dependencies that secure that right.
This year we are providing agencies with guidance informed by research and surveys to assist agencies in their stewardship of digital information and in upholding their responsibilities to provide advice and assistance to citizens seeking access to information.
I am delighted to be leading this year’s Right to Know Week NSW campaign in collaboration with our Champions, including NSW public sector agencies, state-owned corporations, universities and councils. I hope you will join us and get involved.
Elizabeth Tydd
IPC CEO, NSW Information Commissioner
NSW Open Data Advocate
What's On
Webinar by the Open Government Partnership
Date: Monday, 28 September 2020
Format: Webinar
About: a panel discussion on the ‘Open by Design’ concept, which promotes a government-wide commitment to:
- develop principles to support/guide a consistent approach to the proactive release of information held by government or used in the provision of traditional government services
- within those principles identify information that is:
- valuable to citizens,
- important to the digital economy and
- important to government accountability and transparency, for example, information that promotes open discussion of public affairs and enhances government accountability and transparency in decision-making – including decisions made using technology such as artificial intelligence and decisions and services, and
- likely to affect the rights of and services provided to the public and to which the public may be subject to by government
- recognise within those principles that the right to access government information should be promoted to address new service delivery and decision- making arrangements including outsourcing and machine enhanced decision making and service provision.
- promote the roles of Information Commissioners/Ombudsmen in driving a culture of information stewardship by government to promote and enable access to information by citizens
The webinar will be facilitated by A/Professor Ken Coghill, Swinburne University of Technology and confirmed panellists include:
- NSW Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Tydd
- QLD Information Commissioner, Rachel Rangihaeata
- Australian Information Commissioner, Angelene Falk
- South Australian Ombudsman, Wayne Lines
- Senior Assistant Commonwealth Ombudsman, Louise Macleod
- NT Information Commissioner, Peter Shoyer
- WA Information Commissioner, Catherine Fletcher
- Tasmanian Information Commissioner, Richard Connock
- Victorian Information Commissioner, Sven Bluemmel
This is a closed event.
AI Transparency in Digital Government
Date: Tuesday, 29 September 2020
Time: 1.00 - 2.30pm
Format: Webinar
About: InfoGovANZ will be hosting an information access webinar on AI Transparency in Digital Government. It will be hosted by InfoGovANZ and feature the NSW Information Commissioner Elizabeth Tydd, the Victorian Information Commissioner, Sven Bluemmel and Senior Research Fellow, Co-Chair Trust and Technology, University of Cambridge, Dr Jat Singh.
This webinar is for information access practitioners.
A recording of the webinar and further information, can be found on the InfoGovANZ website. (Recording available until 31 October 2020).
International Access to Information Day, 28 September
In Australia, we recognise the 28th of September as the International Access to Information Day. In NSW, we celebrate this during Right to Know Week and focus on citizens’ rights to access government-held information and agencies’ responsibilities under the GIPA Act.
Information Access Commissioners and Ombudsmen from across Australia and New Zealand have released a joint statement to mark International Access to Information Day on 28 September.
Resources for Accessing Information
Fact Sheet for Citizens - Automated decision-making, digital government and preserving information access rights
For the public
- Fact Sheet - Your right to access government information
- Fact Sheet - How to access your personal information from government agencies
- Checklist - Tips for framing your information access application
- Fact Sheet - Open Access Information for Citizens
- Fact Sheet - Your review rights under the GIPA Act
- Fact Sheet - Frequently asked questions for citizens: Informal release of information
- Fact Sheet - Digital records and the GIPA Act
- Fact Sheet - GIPA Act Fees and Charges
- Information Access Forms for Citizens
See all IPC resources for the public here.
Fact Sheet for Agencies- Automated decision-making, digital government and preserving information access rights
For NSW public sector agencies
- Case Summary on Automated decision making and access to information under the GIPA Act
- Information Access Agency Self-assessment Tool
- Fact Sheet - Open Access Information for Agencies
- Information Access Guideline 6: Agency Information Guides
- Information Access Guideline 7: Open Data
- Fact Sheet - Authorised proactive release of government information
- Guide - Quick Guide to my Responsibilities under the GIPA Act
- Fact Sheet - The GIPA Act: Agency systems, policies and practices - guidance for principal officers
- Fact Sheet - Managing access to audio visual information under the GIPA Act
- Fact Sheet - Guide to section 121 of the GIPA Act
- Fact Sheet - What is the public interest test?
- Fact Sheet - Managing formal GIPA applications
- Fact Sheet - Informal release of information
- Brochure for agencies - Information access FAQs
See all IPC resources for agencies here.
2020 Champion Program
This year we will again be running the RTK Champion Program. NSW public sector agencies can join as Champions to help spread the RTK message as well as encourage their own agency and work colleagues to get involved and promote citizen rights.
Champions of the Program will receive a pack full of digital and printable resources. It will contain internal and external sample communications and images for your agency to use for the campaign, including PowerPoint slides to support you present to staff on Right to Know: Future-proofing information access rights and the results of the Community Attitudes Survey on data sharing, information access and agency assistance.
Agencies will also be acknowledged as a Champion here on the RTK NSW webpage below and via the IPC's social media where possible.
Registrations for the RTK 2020 Champion Program have now closed.
For enquiries, please email us at ccadigital@ipc.nsw.gov.au
Promotional Resources for NSW Public Sector Agencies
Click to download the resources below and support Right to Know Week NSW 2020.
To receive additional written communications material for your agency (newsletter articles, blog posts, social media posts and more) join our Champion Program.
