News
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.
Reflecting on right to information and privacy in Queensland
June 26, 2019 - 10:59am
Over the past 10 years, the Office of the Information Commission (OIC) has been working with Queensland’s public sector to ensure strong information access and privacy protections.
The OIC recently released a report titled 10 Years on, which includes agency self-assessments of their progress.
Making it easier to draft privacy statements
June 26, 2019 - 10:52am
Privacy statements help explain why personal information is collected by agencies, but they can be time-consuming to develop.
The Department of Justice and Attorney-General however, has released an online tool that can help.
