The NSW Information Commissioner is calling on Government Agencies to remain accountable and transparent as the State continues its digital transformation.
Launching ‘Right to Know Week NSW’ (26 September – 2 October), Commissioner and Open Data Advocate, Elizabeth Tydd said the Week aimed to raise awareness of a person’s right to access Government held information and of Public Sector Agencies’ information access obligations under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act).
Commissioner Tydd said this year’s theme was Artificial Intelligence, e-Governance & Access to Information: Next steps in NSW digital Government.
“The Right to Know remains crucial in this digital age,” Commission Tydd said.
“As Governments continue to provide digital solutions to citizens including the use of Artificial Intelligence in decision-making, there is a requirement to preserve and promote the public interest, accountability, transparency and citizens’ right to information,” she said.
“NSW has embraced a digital transformation into e-Government and that transformation must be accompanied by e-Governance to ensure Government remains accountable and transparent.”
Commission Tydd said Government had a duty to use new technologies to enable citizens to access information and participate in Government decision making.
“E-Governance is the digital realisation of an open, accountable participative democracy,” she said.
For Government Agencies, Commission Tydd said the Information and Privacy Commission NSW (IPC) was highlighting resources to promote and uphold citizens’ rights to access Government held information, including Information Governance Agency Self-assessment Tools and various fact sheets on automated decision-making, digital records and deciding access applications under the GIPA Act.
For citizens, she said the IPC had developed a new animation on e-Governance and digital Government which highlighted the importance of transforming e-Government into eGovernance.
Further information on Right to Know Week can be accessed at this PS News link.
