NSW celebrates International Access to Information Day and Right to Know Week NSW 2020
The International Day for Universal Access to Information as recognised by the United Nations, also known as International Access to Information Day in Australia, is celebrated today, 28 September 2020.
The right to access government information is encapsulated within Article 19 of the United Nations’ Declaration of Human Rights. In NSW, we celebrate this over a week called Right to Know which focuses on citizens’ rights to access government-held information and agencies’ responsibilities under the GIPA Act.
The Information and Privacy Commission celebrates Right to Know Week NSW, by engaging with public sector agencies and public citizens 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. Increasingly government information is held in digital form, likewise decision-making and services are increasingly automated. The community has a right to access NSW government information in all forms and the increasing digitisation of government has implications for how governments can improve outcomes for citizens seeking access to this information.
During Right to Know Week, the NSW Information Commissioner will take part in the following webinar events:
- ‘Open by Design’, hosted by the Open Government Partnership, on Monday 28 September,
- ‘AI Transparency in Digital Government’, hosted by InfoGovANZ, on Tuesday, 29 September
The IPC will also release:
- the results of the IPC’s Community Attitudes Study 2020 on Data Sharing and Information Access together with guidance to preserve the right to know in the digital age, and
- a citizen and agency Fact Sheet on Automated decision-making, digital government and preserving information access rights to ensure the Right to Know is future proof.
Hear from the Information Commissioner and Open Data Advocate, Elizabeth Tydd, and learn more about Right to Know Week NSW 2020.
