TOPIC 3.5: Why is right to information important?

Freedom of Information

Media play their part in keeping government accountable and in informing the community about issues of relevance and in sharing information. There is another element of concern in the need for government to be transparent in its dealings. One tool to assist constituents is the Right to Information (RTI) or Freedom of Information (FOI) Legislation*, ensuring people have access to government documentation relating to matters of interest to them.

Lack of government transparency makes it difficult for the citizenry to hold the government accountable. A move to ensure the public had access to files of interest to them, and for information about how policy was influenced, commenced in the 1970s. There are at least four reasons why FOI (or RTI) is important:

1. Individuals can see what information government holds about them and seek to correct it if they consider it wrong or misleading.
2. Enhanced transparency of policy making, administrative decision-making and government service delivery.
3. A better-informed community can participate more effectively in the nation’s democratic processes.
4. Publicly collected information is a national resource – e.g. geological data; heritage data.

Concerns with FOI (or RTI) include:

• Political sensitivity and lengths government goes to in order to circumvent the spirit of the Act.
• Cost to government to meet the public requirements for information
• Charging of fees to users restricting their ability to trawl for information
• Media using government as a research arm in unearthing issues within government
• Public secrets for defence and security reasons being exposed

*FOI in WA, Vic, NT, SA; RTI in Tas & Qld; GIPA (Government information (Public Access) Act in NSW).