Improving access to information held by government

The RTI Uplift Project aims to improve the way the Tasmanian community gets information held by the Tasmanian Government.

The RTI Uplift Project will:

  • improve the process for getting information
  • create the same training for right to information (RTI) officers across government
  • look at ways to give more information.

The project follows the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government's responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings where victim-survivors shared it was hard to get information held by the government.

Applicants' experience survey

RTI applicants participated in a confidential survey about their experiences to help improve RTI processes across the Tasmanian State Service. The survey was open from July until September 2023.

Participants identified areas of improvement for government websites when applying for information under the Right to Information Act, including the need for:

  • further information about the Act and information disclosure policies
  • an accessible standard RTI manual
  • more detailed instructions about the RTI application process
  • a direct phone number to contact for assistance
  • a streamlined standardised application process across the Tasmanian State Service.

The survey also reflects the feedback about improvements when accessing government information across the Tasmanian State Service, such as:

  • Inconsistent practices when providing acknowledgements to applicants.
  • Timeliness regarding negotiating extensions of time with applicants under the Act.
  • Timeliness in releasing information to applicants within statutory timeframes under the Act.
  • Sufficiency of reasons for a decision, particularly when applying exemptions from releasing information and the public interest test under the Act.
  • Potential overuse of section 18(5) of the Act relating to the provision of information to a medical practitioner nominated by the applicant, rather than to the applicant directly.
  • Resourcing of the Ombudsman’s office to allow timely and effective reviews.

Steering committee

An RTI Uplift Project Steering Committee provides advice and help with the delivery of this project.

A discussion paper examining areas for improvement in the Tasmanian State Service's right to information processes is assisting the steering committee with their decision-making.

Meeting minutes

Steering committee meeting minutes

Contact

rtiupliftproject@dpac.tas.gov.au

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