Introducing the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

Introduction

As those following the FOI reforms in the Commonwealth arena will be aware, the Australian Information Commissioner Act 2010 (Cth) (AIC Act) passed through Parliament on 13 May 2010 and received Royal Assent on 31 May 2010. The Act provides for the establishment of the new Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) on and from 1 November 2010.

The AIC Act is part of a broader package of freedom of information (FOI) reforms that are being implemented at the Commonwealth level to promote a pro-disclosure culture within government agencies. (See our previous Legal Update for the key changes.)

In this Legal Update, we take a closer look at the structure of the OAIC and outline key aspects of its functions and powers.