Government agencies are being called upon to improve systems and policies to enable them to better comply with freedom of information requests.
The appeal follows the findings of a survey conducted by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner which shows only 29% of government agencies have an integrated records management system to deal with FOI requests while only 22% have comprehensive document management policies, covering all forms of records.
“The majority of agencies require improvement to their systems and policies for records management and managing and reporting on FOI requests,” said Freedom of Information Commissioner Toni Pirani. “Improving these systems would make complying with FOI obligations easier.”
The OAIC survey – conducted mid-2024 across 147 government agencies – also found that the majority of departments (79%) employed informal training methods when instructing staff on their FOI responsibilities.
“There is an opportunity to expand and formalise training offerings and programs to ensure agency staff are well-equipped to meet FOI Act obligations,” said Pirani.
There is also work to do to elevate FOI obligations as a whole-of-agency responsibility, she added, rather than for requests to be siloed off to individual teams.
“Agency-wide understanding and coordination of the FOI request process and proactive release obligations are critical to Australian Government agencies meeting their legal obligations under the FOI Act. This requires leadership and understanding that FOI is a core function and a responsibility of all Australian Public Service staff,” said Pirani. “It should be taken seriously, demonstrated by better resourcing and all APS staff being stewards of government-held information and playing a role in meeting FOI obligations, including through record keeping.”
As well as releasing the survey findings, the OAIC this week launched an interactive tool to improve public access to FOI data.
“This new tool will allow the Australian community to see – at the touch of a button – the overall performance of the FOI system and each agency over a five-year period,” Pirani said.
The dashboard (above) presents key FOI data reported to the OAIC by Australian Government agencies and ministers.
Updated on a quarterly basis, the resource has been designed to help government, agencies, media and the public better understand the volume and type of FOI requests received and how well agencies are meeting their obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 1982.
Among the information available:
- the number of FOI requests made to agencies
- the number and category of decisions made – granting, partially granting or refusing access
- the timelines of decisions made.
“By making this data easier to access, analyse and benchmark, we hope to identify opportunities to improve FOI practices and the system overall,” said Pirani.
She added: “The OAIC is committed to facilitating open and transparent access to data, improving outcomes and educating all stakeholders about the operation of Australia’s FOI system.”
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