Information Commissioners and Ombudsmen release survey results on community attitudes

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Summary:

The Information Commissioners and Ombudsmen of Australia have released the findings of their third cross-jurisdictional study on community attitudes towards access to government information. The study, conducted by Woolcott Research, surveyed citizens' awareness and experiences of the right to access information held by government agencies across six jurisdictions. Key findings include:

The vast majority (91%) of Australians believe the right to access government information is important.
The majority of respondents were aware of their right to access information, with Western Australia and Queensland respondents most likely to be aware.
The proportion of respondents who tried to access information from government agencies varied, with NSW having the highest request rate.
Respondents had the most success accessing information held by public universities and TAFEs, and the least success accessing information held by state and territory ministers and their staff.

The study provides insights into citizens' attitudes and experiences, which will inform the commissioners and ombudsmen's activities to promote and support the right to access government information. The results also enable governments to examine the performance of their access to information laws from a citizen perspective.