How FOI and Privacy can improve trust in government
Community trust is essential to the successful development of public policy and the delivery of government services. Government agencies can build public trust in government by upholding the public’s right to access information and promoting the protection of privacy rights.
The Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner (OVIC) is hosting a virtual roadshow for regional Victoria to promote building public trust in government.
Following the success of our 2020-21 Regional Roadshow series, OVIC will host a Freedom of Information (FOI) and Privacy Regional Roadshow exploring “Two sides of the same coin” – how FOI and Privacy can both improve trust in government on Wednesday 23 March 2022. Victorian government agencies from across regional and rural Victoria are invited to attend.
“Local governments are deeply connected to their communities and rely on a social licence to operate. This social licence is built on public trust and transparency in government decision making” said Information Commissioner, Sven Bluemmel.
“By providing members of the community with access to information and tools to protect privacy, government agencies assist the public’s understanding of decisions affecting them, whether it be decisions around a community sports facility, the reaction to a data breach, or seeking access to personal health information from a local hospital”.
“Providing proactive and informal access to information facilitates public participation in government, while equipping the public with the correct privacy tools and information promotes the protection of privacy rights”.
As we emerge from the COVID-19 restrictions, we can look back and identify what the pandemic taught us. The past two years have reinforced the importance of public trust, providing timely access to government information, and protecting privacy. Government agencies are custodians of information and have a responsibility to collect, use and disclose this information in a way that will benefit the public.
The aim of this regional roadshow is to improve trust in government by providing information and encouraging members of the community to engage with local government agencies and public health service providers.
This virtual event will feature a keynote address from the Victorian Information Commissioner, along with a presentation from Marj McInnes, Coordination Information Management at Wellington Shire Council (WSC), and other speakers from OVIC’s Public Access and Privacy teams. The event will also include an interactive panel discussion with OVIC’s Deputy Commissioners and Cameron Montgomery, Executive Manager Governance and Risk, City of Ballarat.
For media enquiries contact:
Simone Martin
t: (03) 8684 7585 or 0466 097 816
e: simone.martin@ovic.vic.gov.au or media@ovic.vic.gov.au
Background information:
- Register here for OVIC’s FOI and Privacy virtual regional roadshow
- Read our research into Enhancing Victoria’s culture to be open by design
- Read the results of the 2021 community attitudes survey on access to government information.
- Read relevant agency guidance: