Statistical reporting on the operation of the RTI and IP Acts
The Right to Information Act 2009 (RTI Act) and the Information Privacy Act 2009 (IP Act) are cornerstones of open, transparent and accountable government in Queensland. The preamble to the RTI Act recognises that this legislation contributes to a healthier representative, democratic government and improves public administration and the quality of government decision-making.
It is necessary to measure and report on how the RTI Act and the IP Act (the Acts) operate to assess whether government agencies are achieving the Acts’ objects of proactive disclosure and the safeguarding of personal information.
The review of the Right to Information Regulation 2009 and Information Privacy Regulation 2009 presents an opportunity to ensure that what is measured and reported provides meaningful, contemporary insights into the operation of the Acts.
This is also an occasion to review and improve the reporting process and identify ways to make it more efficient, while ensuring statistical reporting includes high quality and meaningful data.
To better understand government agencies’ views on the annual reporting requirements and process, we conducted a short survey in early 2024. The survey builds on reviews of the Acts and consultations the Department of Justice and Attorney-General conducted in 2016-17 and 2022‑23.
The results of our survey were reported to the Parliament’s Community Safety and Legal Affairs Committee in ‘Reporting on RTI and IP statistics - Survey results about reporting on the operation of the Right to Information Act 2009 and the Information Privacy Act 2009.’ The Chair tabled the report in Parliament on 11 June 2024.