Access to information
Helping you access the information you need
Access to Information
The Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA) replaces the Freedom of Information Act 1989.
Government Information (Public Access) Act (GIPA) creates new rights to information that are designed to meet community expectations of more open and transparent government. It encourages the routine and proactive release of government information, including information held by the providers of goods and services contracted by government agencies.
The Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPAA) replaces the Freedom of Information Act 1989.
GIPAA creates new rights to information that are designed to meet community expectations of more open and transparent government. The Act encourages the routine and proactive release of government information, including information held by the providers of goods and services contracted by government agencies.
The GIPAA establishes four ways for government information to be made available to the public:
- Mandatory disclosure of open access information
Agencies MUST publish certain information on their websites, free of charge and available to anyone. - Proactive release
Agencies are encouraged to release proactively as much government information as possible, in an appropriate manner and free of charge (or at the lowest reasonable cost) - Informal release
Agencies are encouraged to release information in response to a request without the need for a formal application, unless there are good reasons to require one. - Formal access application
In limited circumstances, access to information will require a formal application. People have a right to access information in this way unless the GIPAA provides a reason not to release the information.
A Disclosure Log is a new requirement of the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009. The Log is a record of information that Riverina Water has already released, often in response to a specific request from a member of the public or an organisation. This information could be of interest to other members of the public.
Applicants who make a formal application will be advised that information relating to the application may be made publicly available. Applicants may object to information being included in the disclosure log. The disclosure log will list details about an application without releasing any identifying information relating to an individual.
Publication guide
A publication guide includes information about an agency's structure, functions and lists the kind of information that will be made publicly available.
The publication guide needs to state how information may be obtained from an agency and whether there is a cost for accessing this information.
The publication guide will provide the following information:
- Describes the structure and functions of Riverina Water.
- Describes the ways in which our functions affect members of the public.
- Specifies arrangements that exist to enable members of the public to participate in the formulation of Riverina Water's policies and the exercise of our functions.
- Idenitifes the various kinds of information held by Riverina Water.
- Identifies the kinds of information Riverina Water makes, or will make, publicly available
- Identifies the kinds of information that are, or will be made publicly available free of charge and those kinds of information for which a charge is, or will be, imposed.