The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) has called for better access to government information.

The OIAC has released its third five-year review of the Information Publication Scheme (IPS), emphasising the need for government agencies to enhance their efforts in the proactive release of information. 

The review, conducted through a survey in late 2023, sheds light on the current state of information management and publication practices within Australian Government agencies.

The IPS mandates that government agencies publish a wide range of information on their websites and authorises them to proactively publish additional information. 

The scheme is meant to ensure that information held by government agencies is managed for public purposes and recognised as a national resource.

According to the review, while there has been some improvement since previous reviews in 2018 and 2012, significant gaps remain. 

“The results show there is strong commitment across the Australian Government to the IPS and a proactive disclosure culture,” said Freedom of Information Commissioner Elizabeth Tydd. 

“It is great to see more agencies (94%) have reviewed the operation of the IPS in their agency, up from 82% in 2018.”

However, Commissioner Tydd also highlighted the ongoing challenges. 

“The results also confirm that the systems to promote and support proactive release of information require a concerted effort by agencies,” she said.

The review identified several areas where agencies need to focus their efforts:

Strategic Adoption: Only 29 per cent of agencies have adopted a strategy for increasing open access to information, down from 35 per cent in 2018.

Routine Publication of FOI Requests: 73 per cent of agencies publish information that they routinely release in response to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, a decline from 79 per cent in 2018 and 86 per cent in 2012.

Public Consultation Information: 75 per cent of agencies publish consultation arrangements for public comment on policy proposals, a slight increase from 72 per cent in 2018 but still below 86 per cent in 2012.

Training and Awareness: Only 55 per cent of agencies have assigned responsibility for staff training and awareness of IPS obligations.

Information Asset Management: Only 20 per cent of agencies maintain an IPS information register, down from 38 per cent in 2018.

Commissioner Tydd has outlined a forward plan to address these challenges, which includes engaging with senior leaders in government agencies to secure their commitment to proactive information release. 

“It is clear that the involvement of senior leaders in agencies is critical in harnessing the IPS to enable a proactive approach to releasing information,” she said.

The OAIC says it plans to conduct a survey of agency practices and needs, using the results to inform the provision of resources and review the FOI Guidelines relating to the IPS. 

The objective is to make compliance easier and promote understanding so that the Australian community receives access to information as intended under the FOI Act.