FOI

Information Publication Scheme review identifies areas to improve access to government information

Retrieved on: 
torsdag, juni 13, 2024
Freedom of information, Freedom, Comment, Government, IPS, Use, Policy, Culture, Government agency, Information, Research, Overalls, Disclosure, OAIC, Complaint, Publishing, FOI, Exercise, Feedback, Audit

Published 12 June 2024 The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner’s (OAIC) third five-yearly review of the Information Publication Scheme (IPS) highlights how a concerted effort is required by government agencies to support proactive release of information.

Key Points: 
  • Published 12 June 2024 The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner’s (OAIC) third five-yearly review of the Information Publication Scheme (IPS) highlights how a concerted effort is required by government agencies to support proactive release of information.
  • The Information Publication Scheme (IPS) requires agencies to publish a broad range of information on their website and authorises agencies to proactively publish other information.
  • - Only 29% of agencies have adopted a strategy for increasing open access to information they hold, down from 35% in 2018.
  • The FOI Act aims to increase public participation in government processes and increase scrutiny, discussion, comment and review of government activities.
  • Read the *Information Publication Scheme 2023 review report and download the infographics.

Key findings and takeaways for agencies

  • Use training to increase the culture of proactive publication.Only 55% of agencies have assigned responsibility for the management or coordination of staff training and awareness of IPS obligations.
  • Invest in information asset management, such as developing and maintaining an IPS information register.
  • Only 20% of agencies maintain an IPS information register, down from 38% in 2018.
  • Maintaining an IPS information register was the most common challenge agencies reported, experienced by 36% of agencies, up from 18% in 2018.

About the report

Understanding what information people commonly request from public authorities

Retrieved on: 
måndag, juni 3, 2024
Statistics, WhatDoTheyKnow, Environmental Information Regulations 2004, Travel, Science, Admission, Internal, WDTK, Complaint, Engineering, Medicine, Stalking, School, Economics, EIR, Asbestos, Freedom of information, Thought, Housing, Government, Crime, Emergency service, Assault, Hatred, Correspondence, FOI, London boroughs, Management

Aiden Clarkson Senior Upstream Regulation Officer - FOI and Transparency

People can use the WhatDoTheyKnow (WDTK) website to submit Freedom of Information (FOI) and Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) requests to public organisations. 
Working with WDTK, we…

Key Points: 
  • |Aiden Clarkson Senior Upstream Regulation Officer - FOI and Transparency| People can use the WhatDoTheyKnow (WDTK) website to submit Freedom of Information (FOI) and Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) requests to public organisations.
  • Working with WDTK, we have analysed a sample of more than 150,000 requests made during 2022 and identified common themes in the information that has been asked for.
  • Understanding what people are interested in can help FOI and EIR practitioners to consider whether proactive publication of this information would benefit their organisation and help to reduce information requests.
  • - If you already publish information which corresponds to these themes, how easy is it to find on your website?

Appointment of next Australian Information Commissioner

Retrieved on: 
tisdag, maj 28, 2024
MP, Government, OAIC, Freedom, FOI, Privacy, Whaling

Published 9 May 2024

Key Points: 
  • Published 9 May 2024
    The Attorney-General the Hon Mark Dreyfus KC MP announced today the appointment of Elizabeth Tydd as Australian Information Commissioner and head of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC), commencing 16 August 2024 following the conclusion of Angelene Falk’s term.
  • Ms Tydd is currently the Freedom of Information (FOI) Commissioner, having commenced in the role on 19 February.
  • Commissioner Tydd said: “This appointment is an honour that I accept with immense gratitude and a resolute commitment to leadership in promoting and protecting information access and privacy rights.
  • “Commissioner Tydd has exceptional commitment to the protection and promotion of information rights and will play a significant role in advancing information access and privacy for all Australians.

PSNI facing a £750k fine following spreadsheet error that exposed the personal information of its entire workforce

Retrieved on: 
tisdag, maj 28, 2024
Information, EIR, Freedom, FOI, Friends, Risk, Workforce, FOIA, Telephone, Information privacy, Anxiety, Commissioner, Environmental Information Regulations 2004, Telecommunications, PSNI, Editing, Service, Public sector, Privacy, PECR, ICO, Data wrangling, Disclosure, Cryptocurrency

Data breach brought tangible fear of threat to life

Key Points: 
  • The proposed fine relates to an incident where personal information – including surname, initials, rank and role of all 9,483 serving PSNI officers and staff – was included in a "hidden" tab of a spreadsheet published online in response to a freedom of information request.
  • Our investigation has provisionally found the PSNI’s internal procedures and sign-off protocols for the safe disclosure of information were inadequate.
  • PSNI has also been issued with a preliminary enforcement notice, requiring the Service to improve the security of personal information when responding to FOI requests.
  • - The ICO can take action to address and change the behaviour of organisations and individuals that collect, use, and keep personal information.

Y Comisiynydd Gwybodaeth yn galw ar uwch arweinwyr i gymryd tryloywder o ddifrif

Retrieved on: 
lördag, mars 9, 2024
Outer Space Treaty, FOI, ICO, EI, Palladium

Annwyl gydweithiwr,

Key Points: 
  • Annwyl gydweithiwr,
    Heddiw, wrth i'm swyddfa gymryd camau rheoleiddio pellach yn erbyn pedwar sefydliad cyhoeddus am eu methiannau parhaus i gyflawni eu rhwymedigaethau o dan y Ddeddf Rhyddid Gwybodaeth, rwy’n ysgrifennu atoch i'ch atgoffa bod tryloywder yn hanfodol os yw'r bobl a'r cymunedau rydyn ni’n eu gwasanaethu i fod yn hyderus yn y ffordd y mae gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yn cael eu darparu.
  • Rwy'n gwybod bod llawer o sefydliadau eisoes yn arwain trwy esiampl ond, fel y gwelir yn y camau gorfodi y mae fy swyddfa wedi'u cymryd dros y 18 mis diwethaf, mae angen i lawer wneud mwy.
  • Rwy'n galw arnoch i annog eich staff, beth bynnag fo'u rôl, i gymryd rhyddid gwybodaeth o ddifrif.
  • Mae angen ichi neilltuo adnoddau i wella mynediad at wybodaeth a thryloywder, a sicrhau bod gennych yr hyfforddiant, y prosesau a’r diwylliant cywir ar waith.

Information Commissioner calls for senior leaders to take transparency seriously

Retrieved on: 
lördag, mars 9, 2024
Information commissioner, ICO, Culture, FOI, Freedom, Pressure, Risk management

FOI is a fundamental part of transparency.

Key Points: 
  • FOI is a fundamental part of transparency.
  • I am calling on you to encourage your staff, whatever their role, to take FOI seriously.
  • You need to dedicate resources to improving access to information and transparency, and ensure you have the right training, processes and culture in place.
  • John Edwards, Information Commissioner

ICO takes regulatory action against five public authorities under the FOI Act

Retrieved on: 
lördag, mars 9, 2024
Information commissioner, PECR, Information privacy, FOI, Privacy, Police, Commonwealth, Telephone, FOS, ICO, Telecommunications, Financial Ombudsman Service, Department for Education, Environmental Information Regulations 2004, Data wrangling, FCDO, Sussex Police, Finance, EIR, Democracy, FOIA, Development, Commissioner, Cryptocurrency

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has taken action against five public authorities for continued failings to meet their obligations under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.

Key Points: 
  • The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has taken action against five public authorities for continued failings to meet their obligations under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.
  • Information delayed is information denied, and people have the legal right to promptly receive information they're entitled to.
  • - The ICO can take action to address and change the behaviour of organisations and individuals that collect, use and keep personal information.
  • - To report a concern to the ICO telephone call our helpline on 0303 123 1113, or go to ico.org.uk/concerns.