NSW FREEDOM OF

INFORMATION
A FREE COMMUNITY SERVICE TO GUIDE
AND SUPPORT THE PUBLIC ABOUT HOW
TO ACCESS NSW GOVERNMENT
INFORMATION FROM THE RIGHT
GOVERNMENT AGENCY
FULLY STAFFED BY VOLUNTEERS

PLEASE NOTE WE DO NOT HAVE DIRECT

ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT RECORDS AND
INFORMATION

FREECALL 1300 679 364 OR 1300 NSW FOI

"Everyone has the right to freedom of

opinion and expression; this right includes
freedom to hold opinions without
interference and to seek, receive and
impart information and ideas through any
media regardless of frontiers,"
United Nations Universal Declaration of
Human Rights (1948) Article 19.

 What to expect in 2024!

 Free Awareness Ribbon
 Catch up on all our media
 The Public's Expectations v The Public's
Reality
 How to Access NSW Government
Information
 Listening to your experiences
 Supporting your Freedom of
Information Journey
 Advocacy - McKenzie Friend
 Highlighting legislative ]aws
 Exposing Agency misconduct, lack of
equality, and Judicial bias
 Lobbying for change
 Af_lliates

Igniting the Flame - February 2024:

"We are here, not because we are
lawbreakers; we are here in our efforts to
be law-makers,” (Emmeline Pankhurst,
Political Activist &
United Kingdom Suffragette "My Own
Story")

Encouraged to receive con_rmation a

number of NSW Government Agencies
regularly visit and refer to this Site,
including the NSW Crown Solicitor's Of_ce,
the NSW Dept of Communities & Justice,
and the NSW Information & Privacy
Commissioner.

HOWEVER agencies are now known to

shamefully print off or retain our Site
information
to use against Access Applicants! They also
engage in behaviours such as trolling,
scouring the internet and social media
platforms for information to use against
the public.
View the evidence here!
NSW agencies also work actively to secure
gag-orders in contradiction to
the principles of Open Justice, silencing the
public!

Agency personnel do not like what they are

seeing, do not want the public to be
informed about accessing NSW
government information or Agency
misconduct, con_rming their intention to
withhold government information for fear
of informing the public and to deny equity
in the judicial process!
We continue to seek the public's support to
ensure this Site remains active and relevant.

Quotable Quotes:

"Australia is only a signatory to the United

Nations Universal Declaration of Human
Rights. As it has not been ratiBed by the
Australian legislature, this holds no weight
[towards the public's rights for the sharing
of ideas, information and expression],"
Jonathan Ian Franklin, Solicitor, Open
Government Information & Privacy Unit,
NSW Dept of Communities & Justice; Open
Submissions to the NSW Civil &
Administrative Tribunal in relation to the
website NSW Freedom of Information, July
2023).

".......those Privacy Statements don't mean

anything," Of_ce of the NSW Crown
Solicitor's Andrew Bell; referring to iCARE's
Government Information (Public Access)
Act 2009 - Access to Information form -
Item 9. Privacy Statement.

"The NCAT is complex because 34 lawyers

contributed to writing the legislation,"
Mark Robinson SC, Co-Author (with NCAT's
Dr Juliet Lucy) NCAT Practice and
Procedure 2nd Edition 2020 Thomson
Reuters.

".........Publicity is the very soul of justice.........

It keeps the judge, while trying (a case),
under trial," Jeremy Bentham, 1790.

"The time, it is to be hoped, is gone by,

when any defence would be necessary of
the 'liberty of the press' as one of the
securities against corruption or tyrannical
government. No argument....can now be
needed, against permitting a legislature or
an executive, not identiBed in interest of
the pepole, to prescribe opinions to them,
and determine what doctrines or what
arguments they shall be allowed to hear,"
John Stuart Mill, 1859.

"FOI is necessary to democracy...............,"

@KatySClark (twitter), 30th November 2022
- Holyrood FOI, @FOIScotland (twitter),
Scottish Information Commissioner.

"..... let's make sure we get all the rights

back we thought we had (pre-C19
Pandemic). Essential to this is our freedom
of speech. Our freedom to question
authority and to hold our leaders to
account. We should be wary of those who
would deny this freedom and call for less
debate, less openness, and less diversity of
opinion. Instead, we should together
celebrate, indulge and defend all the
Aussie freedoms we cherish......." (emphasis
added), Lachlan Murdoch, 29th March 2022
- Institute of Public Affairs.

".......information is increasingly held in

digital form and services are increasingly
automated. These changes directly
impact citizens’ rights, and importantly
their right to access information.
Accordingly, there is a growing need to
promote accountability and transparency
and to ensure open government......."
(emphasis added),
NSW Information Commissioner Elizabeth
Tydd, 16th June 2022 - International
Conference of International Commissioners
2022.

".......On the issue of reputation, I think it is

important to revisit two of the most
important aspects of complaints
managment, ie, visibility and accessibility.
Monopoly service providers, particularly
government agencies and some utilities,
are the worst offenders in this area and
really need to lift their game and
constantly monitor the accessibility and
responsiveness of their information and
wait times......." (emphasis added),
Professor Allan Fels AO on "Reputation and
Joining the Dots" - SOCAP (Society of
Consumer Affairs Professionals in Business
Australia Incorporated) Consumer
Directions June 2022

"Citizens have the right to access

government information,"
NSW Information Commissioner Elizabeth
Tydd, 27th September 2021 - Right to Know
Week 2021

"Information is key to the investigation and

prevention of corruption,"
Chief Commissioner ICAC Peter Hall, 27th
September 2021 - Right to Know Week 2021

"The public can use information to drive

improvement,"
NSW Attorney General Mark Speakman,
27th September 2021 - Right to Know Week
2021

"The government supports the object of

the Government Information (Public
Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act) to advance a
system of open and accountable
government by providing members of the
public with enforceable rights to access
government information," Mark Speakman
letter to the NSW Society, March 2019.

DraftCom Pty Ltd t/as NSW Freedom of

Information
ABN: 87 076 511 941
PO Box 8030 Marks Point NSW 2280
P: 1300 679 364 or 1300 NSW FOI
Hrs: Monday to Friday - 9.30am to 4.30pm

E: info@nswfreedomoTnformation.net

Copyright (c) 2021. All rights reserved.

Created in Sitebeat.

Acknowledgement of First Nations Australia

We acknowledge the Awabakal people as the
Traditional Custodians of this area. We
recognise their continuing connection and
protection of the land, the waterways, and
ecosystems since time immemorial. We extend
our respect to all First Nations people and we
respect the Elders past and present.

Black-Eyed Susan - Symbol of Justice

DISCLAIMER: The Information on this Site

does not constitute legal advice, and is not
intended to be a substitute for legal advice
and should not be relied upon as such. The
information on this Site is general in nature,
comprises publically available information, as
well as the personal experiences and opinions
of members of the community. NSW Freedom
of Information asks every member of the
community to respect the content of this Site,
some of which has been provided by trusting
third parties, and asks that permission is
sought Trst before using the information
herein, sharing the information herein, or
copying or republishing the information herein.