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All about events for Right to Know Day Thursday 28 September. In particular: The Office of the Information Commissioner, Queensland is holding the annual Solomon Lecture for Right to Know Day on 28 September 2017. Mr Kerry O’Brien, one of Australia’s most distinguished and respected journalists, will deliver this year’s lecture and draw on the 30th anniversary of the Fitzgerald Inquiry in Queensland as an opportunity to revisit some of the lessons learnt over the past three decades around open government, including the media’s role. Following the Lecture will be a panel discussion featuring Channel 7’s Freedom of Information Editor, Alison Sandy, Queensland University of Technology Vice Chancellor Peter Coaldrake AO and Dr David Solomon AM. Journalist Madonna King will lead the panel discussion. Live stream: www.ustream.tv/channel/the-edge-external-events 28 September 2017 We encourage all Australians to explore their Right to Know. Take a moment to discover the impor...

Right to Know Day 28 September- great to see traffic on the twitter feeds including plenty from Australia at #RighttoKnow While observance has been trending in the right direction in recent years, its another step in the right direction given Right to Know Day often passed virtually unnoticed here. Something positive from the highest levels of government on the importance of the right to know would be a welcome development but alas.. So too, with three ministers in New York last week, an Australian presence at the Fifth Anniversary Celebration of the Open Government Partnership would have indicated strong interest and commitment as well. Alas again.... Further rain amid the sunshine:  The Center for Law and Democracy in Toronto and Access Info Europe used the occasion to publish an updated Global Right to Information Rating, analysing the quality of the world's access to information laws. The Australian legislative framework (the Federal Freedom of Information Act) comes in 56 of...

Australia’s State and Commonwealth Information Commissioners have joined together to promote their commitment to the importance of Open Government and the right to access government-held information and data on International Right to Know Day, 28 September 2016. The right to information and our ongoing commitment to Open Government is a cornerstone of modern democratic society. Right to Know Day is an opportunity to encourage the public sector and the community at large to think about exploring the possibilities of Open Government. When done well it increases access to information and data which results in better and more responsive services to the community, as well as increased accountability and the promotion of public participation in government decision-making. We are pleased to come together to promote the importance of this message and we invite all members of the Australian community to join us in celebrating Right to Know Day on 28 September 2016. Co-signed by...

A Right to Know Day panel that includes me (under my Twitter handle FOIGuru) is happy to respond to any questions about right to know, information access and related questions on Reddit .  But at 11.30pm local time in Sydney, with 28 September drawing to a close here as other parts of the world awake, I'll chime in with my take in the morning. Good night all.

IFLA On Right to Know Day   NSW Information Commissioner Elizabeth Tydd released a report by Professor Anita Stuhmcke of the University of Technology, Sydney commissioned by the IPC that provides an insight into the types of practical mechanisms utilised in selected international jurisdictions to promote open government through information sharing and citizen engagement.  Despite the title "Advancing the objects of the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW): an international comparative evaluation of measures used to promote government information release"   the report is relevant anywhere policy makers (hopefully) and advocates (certainly) are wrestling with the challenge of how to encourage proactive release of government information. From the Executive Summary SECTION 3: The Concept of Open Government: History and challenges "This report bases its findings upon the three characteristics of open government as defined by the Organisation for Econ...

Right to Know Day or Week is coming your way next week if you are in 40 countries around the world that celebrate it and here at least in NSW and Queensland thanks to information commissioners in both states. Queensland's Right to Know Day theme this year is ’A right to information. Play your part.’ Yesterday Emeritus Professor Richard Mulgan  played his part delivering the Annual Solomon Lecture which I'll read with interest In NSW the Information Commissioner announced a "proactive campaign to encourage public sector agencies, universities and regional councils to champion open government and spread the message of proactive release of information to their stakeholders and communities." I'll be an interested listener at the “Switch on Open Government in NSW ” event on 29 September, where a panel will "examine the barriers to information sharing and showcase tangible manifestations of Open Government in achieving better service delivery through information...