Information Access Commissioners and the Acting ACT Ombudsman have announced their joint findings on a cross-jurisdictional study of community attitudes on access to Government information.
This is the second time the Commissioners from NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and the ACT Ombudsman have sponsored the research, with the inaugural study conducted in 2019.
In signing the joint statement, Western Australian Information Commissioner, Catherine Fletcher (pictured) said the Information Access Study 2021 measured citizens’ awareness of the right to access Government information and their experiences and outcomes in exercising that right.
Commissioner Fletcher said the Study found that the right to access information was consistently recognised by respondents in each jurisdiction, the majority being aware that they had the right to access information from Government Departments and Agencies.
She said on average three in 10 respondents had contacted at least one Government Agency in the past three years to obtain Government information and, in general, citizens were able to obtain information successfully in each jurisdiction.
Commissioner Fletcher said this year, a number of jurisdictions also took the opportunity to ask respondents two questions regarding Governments’ increased use of data, algorithms and other forms of artificial intelligence to inform decisions.
She said the majority of respondents agreed that Agencies should be required to publicly report on artificial intelligence used to inform decisions impacting individuals.
Commissioner Fletcher said the majority of respondents also agreed that Agencies should publicly report on the information they maintained.
Along with Commissioner Fletcher, the joint statement was also signed by NSW Information Commissioner Elizabeth Tydd; Victorian Information Commissioner Sven Bluemmel; Queensland Information Commissioner Rachael Rangihaeata; and Acting ACT and Commonwealth Ombudsman, Penny McKay.
The research findings of the Information Access Study 2021 can be accessed at this PS News link.
