Media release: Audit report – Disclosure logs - Queensland Government departments
Queensland’s Office of the Information Commissioner’s audit report into the disclosure logs of Queensland Government departments was tabled in Parliament today. The audit examined whether departments have well designed disclosure logs that meet the requirements set out in the Right to Information Act 2009 (Qld).
Disclosure logs are part of a website that captures documents government agencies have released under the Act. They are a tool that agencies can use to make more information available to the community. This enhances openness and transparency and supports the broader aims of the Act.
We concluded that departments maintain mostly compliant disclosure logs but there are gaps.
The Information Commissioner Rachael Rangihaeata said, “When agencies do not keep their disclosure log up-to-date, they miss out on possible efficiencies in handling access applications. As the community does not have access to timely information, there is a risk of unnecessary cost and delay when an individual applies to access the same documents.”
While it is generally easy to find the departments’ disclosure logs on their websites, not all disclosure logs are easy to read or use.
“Agencies should design disclosure logs with the reader in mind, so that the logs are easy to find and use, and contain timely, accurate and useful information,” said Ms Rangihaeata.