Right to information

What is right to information?

The Queensland Government has made a commitment to provide access to information held by the Government, unless on balance it is contrary to the public interest to provide that information.

The legislation came into effect on 1 July 2009, namely:

• The Right to Information Act 2009 (Qld)
• The Information Privacy Act 2009 (Qld)

Right to Information aims to make more information available, provide equal access to information across all sectors of the community, and provide appropriate protection for individuals' privacy.

More information about right to information is available on the Queensland Government website.

The right to information gives you the right to access and amend information held by public sector agencies in Queensland, unless there is a good reason for it not to be provided.  You have a right to access your personal information held by government under the Information Privacy Act 2009. You have a right to access personal and non-personal information held by government under the Right to Information Act 2009.

The right to information means that ministers and public sector agencies must give you the information you ask for unless there is a good reason not to.  If the government thinks there is a good reason not to give you the information, it must tell you the reason.  The only reason the government can withhold information is that its disclosure would on balance be contrary to the public interest.  The government is not permitted to withhold information from you because it might be politically embarrassing or because it might cause a loss of confidence in the government.

Visit the Queensland Government right to information website.