Right to Know Week NSW 2021
Right to Know Week
NSW 2021
Open by Design:
Integrity through greater transparency and accountability in government
27 Sep - 3 Oct 2021
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 2021 theme is Open by Design: Integrity through greater transparency and accountability in government.
From the Information Commissioner
An open by design approach recognises that information is a vital asset to both government and citizens. Information informs government service delivery and decision making.
There has never been a more important time to consider the right of citizens to access government information and to reflect our prevailing environment in which real-time data and swift decision-making is both required and expected of governments.
Elizabeth Tydd
IPC CEO, Information Commissioner
NSW Open Data Advocate
What's On
Right to Know Week NSW launch event: Open Government – Transparency and Accountability
Date: Monday 27 September 2021
Time: 11:00am AEST
Format: Virtual
About: The launch of Right to Know Week 2021 and celebration of the 10 years of the operation of the GIPA Act in NSW will include an examination of the operation of the GIPA Act since its introduction and the current NSW public sector landscape to preserve citizens’ rights to access to government information and elevate transparency.
The session will be opened by the Attorney General, and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Sexual Violence, the Hon. Mark Speakman SC MP.
The discussion will include government and non-government perspectives from:
- Elizabeth Tydd, NSW Information Commissioner, Information and Privacy Commission CEO and NSW Open Data Advocate
- Serena Lillywhite, CEO, Transparency International Australia
- The Hon. Peter Hall QC, Chief Commissioner, NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption
- Tom Burton, Government Editor, Australian Financial Review as facilitator.
This event has now concluded.
Solomon Lecture 2021
Date: Tuesday 28 September 2021
Time: All day
Format: Virtual
About: Professor Beth Simone Noveck will be delivering the Office of the Information Commissioner, Queensland's 2021 Solomon Lecture on ‘Solving Public Problems with Data’.
In this talk, Professor Noveck will discuss how a focus on public problem solving and improving people’s lives changes how we think about data. She will discuss specific policy prescriptions for creating a right to know that fosters better government, stronger citizenship and more agile solutions to contemporary challenges.
Watch the event on 28 September.
ICIC and UNESCO event: The importance of independence and efficiency of oversight bodies and legal frameworks
Time: Tuesday 28 September 2021
Format: Virtual
About: Why is it important to have oversight bodies when it comes to protecting Access to Information? How can their independence and efficiency be guaranteed or strengthened?
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that these institutions play an essential role to oversee the right to information, where a number of countries have been experiencing challenges regarding reliability, accuracy and completeness of information about the virus. This panel of discussions as part of the International Day for Universal Access to Information celebrations will focus on the protection and promotion of access to public information by specialized bodies and legal frameworks.
Speakers:
- Mr. Michael Karanicolas, Executive Director, Institute for Technology, Law & Policy, UCLA, United States of America (moderator)
- Ms. Blanca Lilia Ibarra Cadena, Chair, National Institute for Transparency, Access to Information and Personal Data Protection (INAI) / International Conference of Information Commissioners (ICIC), Mexico
- Ms. Elizabeth Tydd, Information Commissioner, Information and Privacy Commission New South Wales, Australia
- Ms. Gloria de la Fuente, President of the Council for Transparency of Chile
- Ms. Quinn McKew, Executive Director, Article 19; United States of America
- Dr. Jose Maria Costa, Director of Transparency at the Paraguayan Supreme Court, Paraguay
- International Conference of Information Commissioners (ICIC)
- Instituto Nacional de Transparencia, Acceso a la Información y Protección de Datos Personales (INAI)
Watch a recording of the event here: https://youtu.be/tiBtoLenBIA
InfoGovANZ event: Opening Government – Contemporary Opportunities and Challenges
Date: Thursday 30 September 2021
Time: 1:00pm AEST
Format: Virtual
About: Right to Know Week NSW 2021 marks International Access to Information Day and 10 years of GIPA reporting in NSW.
Join NSW Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Tydd, Victorian Information Commissioner, Sven Bluemmel and facilitator InfoGovANZ Founder & Executive Director, Susan Bennett for a discussion on opening government – contemporary opportunities and challenges.
Animations
As part of Right to Know Week NSW 2021 and International Access to Information Day (28 September), the IPC has released a joint animation with the Association of Information Access Commissioners. This animation provides information on citizens' rights to access government information in Australia.
Ways to access government information in NSW - IPC animation. Download and share on social media.
Resources
2021 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, as well as written content such as newsletter articles, blog posts, social media posts, educational powerpoint slides and more to make promoting the campaign easy.
Agencies will also be acknowledged as a Champion here on the RTK NSW webpage and via the IPC's social media where possible.
Thank you to our Right to Know Week 2021 Champions:
Promotional Resources for NSW Public Sector Agencies
Click to download the resources below and support Right to Know Week NSW 2021. When the image opens, right click and select 'Save image as'.
Don't forget to register as a Champion to receive additional written communications material for your agency (newsletter articles, blog posts, social media posts and more).
#RTKNSW2021 #righttoknow #righttoinformation #righttoknowweeknsw
#openbydesign #informationaccessrights
Use these hashtags on social media and tag us on twitter @IPCNSW to show your support for Right to Know Week NSW 2021!
