Australian Information Access Commissioners and Ombudsmen release national metrics on FOI access rights

Australian Information Access Commissioners and Ombudsmen have today released the inaugural dashboard of metrics on the public’s use of freedom of information (FOI) access rights.

The metrics will enable the community to examine the performance of their local FOI laws and to advocate accordingly, as well as improving community understanding of how FOI laws work and how to access them.

View the dashboard of FOI metrics here.

In recognition of the release of the FOI metrics, the listed independent statutory officers have released the following statement:

The right to access information is a fundamental tenet of Open Government. The dashboard of metrics on public use of FOI access laws is a first for Australia. The dashboard reflects the currently available data that is reasonably comparable across jurisdictions and the priority in Australia’s first Open Government National Action Plan to promote the importance of better measuring and improving our understanding of the public’s use of rights under freedom of information laws.

We encourage the community to use the dashboard to better understand how FOI laws can be used to ensure government is releasing and providing access to more information to build public trust and promote an effective and contemporary model of Open Government that is fair, accountable and transparent.

Co-signed by:

Elizabeth Tydd, Information Commissioner, New South Wales

Rachael Rangihaeata, Information Commissioner, Queensland

Timothy Pilgrim, Australian Information Commissioner

Brenda Monaghan, Information Commissioner, Northern Territory

Richard Connock, Ombudsman, Tasmania

Sven Bluemmel, Information Commissioner, Victoria

Wayne Lines, Ombudsman, South Australia

Su Lloyd, Acting Information Commissioner, Western Australia

ENDS

For further information, please contact:

IPC media team on 0435 961 691 or email communications@ipc.nsw.gov.au