Australians Value Transparency: New Survey Reveals Strong Support for Access to Government Information
Sponsored by commissioners from NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, and the ACT Ombudsman, this is the fourth study since 2019, offering valuable comparisons across states and territories.
Key Findings
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Between 91–96% of Australians view the right to access government information as important, with more than half rating it very important.
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Around 90% agree that access to information improves transparency and accountability.
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Awareness of access legislation remains uneven, with the ACT showing the highest understanding, while NSW and Queensland have lower familiarity.
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Confidence in government transparency is strongest in the ACT (61%), compared with 42–52% in other jurisdictions.
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More than 75% of respondents believe governments must publicly report on technology used in decision-making.
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Over 85% agree that agencies should publicly report on the information they hold.
The majority of respondents who lodged information access requests reported positive outcomes, with most receiving at least partial access. Email remains the most common communication channel, though in-person and phone enquiries continue to play a role.
Access and the Digital Age
This year’s survey aligns closely with the 2025 International Access to Information Day theme: “Ensuring Access to Environmental Information in the Digital Age.” Nearly 90% of participants support public reporting on environmental data such as air and water quality, biodiversity, infrastructure planning, and climate information.
Commissioners noted that while 10–20% of people had sought environmental information in recent years, up to 43% plan to do so in the next two years. This highlights a growing public demand for open access to environmental data through digital platforms.
A Call for ‘Open by Design’
In their joint statement, the Commissioners reaffirmed that the right to access government-held information is a cornerstone of open, accountable, and participatory democracy. They called on all public sector organisations to adopt an Open by Design approach — embedding transparency into digital systems and processes from the outset.
“As stewards of the public’s right to know, we remain committed to advancing a modern, effective information access framework that meets the expectations of Australia’s digital landscape,” the statement said.
The findings reinforce that information access, transparency, and accountability are central to public trust — values that remain at the heart of effective information governance.