Speakers
Presented By Sonya Sherman
Somewhere in the great vaults of government lies a treasure more powerful than gold: information. It can help us understand community needs, improve services, protect people, respond faster, and make better decisions. But like any treasure, it must be handled with care. The Privacy and Responsible Information Sharing Act 2024 gives us the shield to safeguard personal information and the compass to navigate from locked vaults to community value. It emphasises that privacy is not a locked door that stops all progress, and information sharing is not a reckless dash through a crumbling temple. Done well, they work together because a treasure locked away forever may look valuable, but if it cannot be accessed, understood, or used for community benefit, it is effectively worthless. Our mission is to protect information, share it wisely, and use it for public good.
Sonya Sherman is Director of Data Governance at the Office of Digital Government, where she leads initiatives that balance privacy protections with practical approaches to share information for public benefit.
Since 2022, she has played a central role in the development of the Privacy and Responsible Information Sharing Act 2024 (PRIS), guiding both its design and public sector readiness to implement it effectively.
Over the past 25 years, Sonya has developed laws and standards for data and information management in Australia and internationally. She has helped design and test records management software to meet regulatory compliance and business needs.
Sonya has also worked in public libraries and records management administration roles. Her passion is helping people create, find, use and share trustworthy information to make the world a better place.