News
Public release of government-held information
July 1, 2019 - 9:37am
There has been a fundamental change in the way information is released into the public domain, since the Right to Information Act came into play 10 years ago.
Queensland agencies such as the Mental Health Review Tribunal, Office of the Health Ombudsman and Energy and Water Ombudsman have been making progress in proactive release and administrative access.
Training minimises risk
June 27, 2019 - 10:37am
Disclosure of personal information can have serious consequences and also damage the reputation of the agency it was entrusted to.
Educating staff through effective training can help to minimise this risk for agencies, as staff should be aware of their information privacy and information security obligations.
FOI request informs inquiry
June 27, 2019 - 10:33am
Freedom of Information (FOI) and Right to Information (RTI) requests can help Australians access government-held information in their quest to better understand government decisions.
In the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), one resident sought documents to understand why there was a 305% increase in her property’s valuation, and consequently her rates bill.
Privacy and mobile apps
June 27, 2019 - 10:32am
Mobile apps aim to make life easier, but they can also seek permission to access personal information stored on hand-held devices.
The Office of the Information Commissioner looked at several agencies, who have developed apps, to find out how they handle personal information collected via these apps.
New guideline: Applicants who are pursuing a legal remedy
June 26, 2019 - 3:57pm
Under the Right to Information Act 2009 (RTI Act), people apply to access documents for a variety of reasons, including, for example, to help them pursue a legal remedy. Accessing documents for this reason has a long history, dating back to Willsford and Brisbane City Council (Willsford) in 1996.
In Willsford, the applicant wanted to access Council documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1992 to assess whether she could take action for damages against the owner of a dog. Based on three criteria, the Information Commissioner found that it was in the public interest for her to be given access to the dog owner's details.
