Department of Premier & Cabinet

The Right to Information Act 2009 - available on the Tasmanian Government legislative database - commenced on 1 July 2010 and provides for greater access to information held by government bodies by:

• authorising and encouraging greater routine disclosure of information held by public authorities without the need for requests or applications
• authorising and encouraging greater active disclosure of information held by public authorities in response to requests
• providing that access to information held by government bodies is restricted in only limited circumstances which are set out in the Act.

The objects of the Act are about improving democratic government in Tasmania by giving members of the public a right to obtain information held by public authorities and the operations of Government.

A person has a legally enforceable right to be provided, in accordance with the Right to Information Act, with official information in the possession of the Department of Premier and Cabinet unless the information is exempt information.

The Act sets out the processes for the release of information, where requests may be refused and how to seek a review of a decision by a public authority about the release of information.

• Information Disclosure Policy and Procedures (PDF)