Freedom of Information Amendment (Reform) Bill 2009 and Information Commissioner Bill 2009
Information about the Inquiry
On 30 November 2009 the Senate jointly referred the Freedom of Information Amendment (Reform) Bill 2009 and the Information Commissioner Bill 2009 for inquiry and report.
According to the Explanatory Memoranda the purpose of the Freedom of Information Amendment (Reform) Bill 2009 is to make major reforms to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 to promote a pro-disclosure culture across government and to build a stronger foundation for more openness in government; and the purpose of the Information Commissioner Bill 2009 is to establish three independent statutory office holders (the Information Commissioner, the Freedom of Information Commissioner and the Privacy Commissioner).
The reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration are:
- Whether the Bills contain measures effective to ensure that the right of access to documents is as comprehensive as it can be;
- Whether the improvements to the request process are efficient and could be further improved;
- Whether the measures will assist in the creation of a pro-disclosure culture with respect to government and what further measures may be appropriate;
- Assessment of the functions, powers and resources of the Information Commissioner.
Submissions should be received by 28 January 2010. The reporting date is 16 March 2010.
The Committee is seeking written submissions from interested individuals and organisations preferably in electronic form submitted online or sent by email to fpa.sen@aph.gov.au as an attached Adobe PDF or MS Word format document. The email must include full postal address and contact details.
Alternatively, written submissions may be sent to:
Senate Finance and Public Administration Committee
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Australia
Notes to help you prepare your submission are available from the website at https://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/wit_sub/index.htm. Alternatively, the Committee Secretariat will be able to help you with your inquiries and can be contacted on telephone +61 2 6277 3439 or facsimile +61 2 6277 5809 or by email to fpa.sen@aph.gov.au.
Inquiries from hearing and speech impaired people should be directed to Parliament House TTY number 02 6277 7799. Adobe also provides tools at http://access.adobe.com/ for the blind and visually impaired to access PDF documents. If you require any special arrangements to enable you to participate in the Committee's inquiry, please contact the Committee Secretariat.
Once the Committee accepts your submission, it becomes a confidential Committee document and is protected by Parliamentary Privilege. You must not release your submission without the Committee's permission. If you do, it will not be protected by Parliamentary Privilege. At some stage during the inquiry, the Committee normally makes submissions public and places them on its website. Please indicate if you want your submission to be kept confidential.
For further information, contact: Senate Finance and Public Administration Committee
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Australia