Queensland’s Information Commissioner marked International Access to Information Day (IAI Day) on Monday (28 September) by encouraging communities to celebrate the importance of the right to access Government-held information.
The Commissioner, Rachael Rangihaeata (pictured) said access to information (or the right to know) was one of the cornerstones of a democratic society.
“This year IAI Day focused on the vital role that information plays in times of crisis, which is relevant given the COVID-19 pandemic being felt in all corners of the globe,” Ms Rangihaeata said.
“When Government is transparent and discloses timely and accurate information, this empowers citizens to take responsible action that can help mitigate the impact of crises.”
She said citizens and Governments were making decisions every day that affected our response to the pandemic.
“In these circumstances, it’s especially important to acknowledge IAI Day and how different our lives would be if we didn’t have access to Government-held information,” Ms Rangihaeata said.
She said Queensland previously celebrated IAI Day as Right to Information Day (as it referenced the Right to Information Act 2009).
“While the name is different in 2020, the intent is still the same — raising awareness about information access rights. The name change also brings greater consistency across Australia and with the United Nations,” the Commissioner said.
“The right to information is enshrined in access to information laws across Australia and the world. We’re among more than 120 nations to guarantee citizens these rights.”
She said whether it was called right to information, right to know or right to access information “it all points to the same thing”.
