Right to Information Commissioner, Stephanie Winson, believes IAID is a great opportunity to build more awareness and understanding of the importance of access to information, including government’s role in proactively releasing information to the community.
“In an era in which digital platforms have fundamentally changed the information landscape I encourage agencies to get involved and support IAID 2026. Public entities can play a significant role to champion the public’s right to information, by adopting approaches that demonstrate a commitment to easier and greater access to government-held information,” Ms Winson said.
In Queensland, this year’s IAID theme, ‘Fact vs Fake: Tackling information disorder in the digital age’, will shine a light on the increasing dangers of misinformation, disinformation and malinformation (collectively known as information disorder).
“The public sector plays a vital role in combatting information disorder. We protect information integrity and promote the availability of factual, credible information,” Ms Winson added.
The Right to Information Act 2009 (RTI Act) is a cornerstone of good information governance in Queensland, ensuring access to government held information strikes the right balance between protection and access. How well agencies do this, depends on the tone set by senior agency leaders.
Queensland’s RTI Act advances the notion of pushing information out proactively and OIC encourages all agencies to actively pursue that goal. Leadership decisions on agency systems, practices and procedures can materially influence how successfully an agency can do this. This includes utilising technology to make access to information easy, whether through administrative access processes, self-help portals or proactive publication on open source websites.
“Proactive disclosure doesn’t happen by chance. It requires leaders to set the tone, back transparency in practice and make proactive release part of business as usual. When leaders commit and model this approach, proactive disclosure shifts from obligation to opportunity,” Ms Winson said.
“Proactive disclosure delivers better services, which helps the community make informed decisions on matters that are important to them. This is key to strengthening trust and helps combat information disorder,” she said. “As agencies are all experiencing increasing demands for services with resource constraints, a shift from a reactive to proactive approach can make a big difference.”
Senior executives can read more about this topic in OIC’s library article ‘The importance of leadership in proactive disclosure: Enhancing efficiency, transparency and accountability’.
The 2026 Solomon Lecture, will also offer an opportunity to reflect on and consider how public sector agencies can play a key role in combatting information disorder. The lecture will be delivered by esteemed journalist Professor Peter Greste on 28 September, and is titled ‘Journalists and Public Servants: Building trust in an age of misinformation’.
Professor Greste and Ms Winson will also be participating in the panel discussion following the Solomon Lecture. Joining them will be Tom Rogers AO (former Australian Electoral Commissioner), Linda Waugh (Queensland Integrity Commissioner) and emcee and panel facilitator Melissa Coade (Journalist at The Mandarin).
In-person registrations have now closed, however the livestream is free and open to all. Check our IAID webpage for the livestream link closer to the event.