RTI requests continue to backup without funding or government support, the Ombudsman says

Tasmania’s Ombudsman has called out ‘government disinterest’ in the Right To Information scheme as the reason the slow system continues to backup. The state of RTIs in Tasmania:

Right to know logo.

Tasmania’s right to information laws continue to be frustrated by delays, backlogs, a lack of funding and government disinterest in reform, the Ombudsman says.

In his annual report for 2023/24, outgoing Ombudsman Richard Connock has called on the state government to urgently address issues having a significant impact on people being able to access their own information — particularly from the Department for Education, Children and Young People and the Department of Health.

Outgoing Ombudsman Richard Connock.

“Delays and backlogs remain the significant issue in the Right to Information scheme and in external review requests and inquiries to my office,” he said.

“Tasmanians want, and deserve, an accountable and open government and a seeming lack of motivation to improve the RTI system is hindering that being achieved.

“I urge the Tasmanian government to ensure the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government’s Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings regarding improving RTI are fully implemented as soon as possible.”                    

Mr Connock said he was sorry that his office had not been able to do more to speed up the determination of appeals against refusals to release information.

“My office has, however, made substantial progress to clear this backlog over the 2023-24 period, and delays have been markedly reduced,” he said.

And he said funding was still lacking to train public servants to properly implement the law.

“Unfortunately, the rollout of training for delegates planned by the Right to Information Uplift Project run by the Department of Premier and Cabinet has not occurred in the 2023-24 financial year,” he said.

“I sought additional funding to expand my ability to conduct training and to respond to the Commission of Inquiry’s recommendations, but to date a response has not been provided.”

Mr Connock said while the overall number of complaints and inquiries to his office relating to state government departments had decreased from 2022-23, they still made up more than 50 per cent of the complaints made to his office.

Ashley Youth Detention Centre near Westbury in northern Tasmania.

He noted number of complaints from young people detained at Ashley Youth Detention Centre over the last two years had increased significantly — something attributed to greater awareness of complaint options after the Commission of Inquiry. 

“In the two years prior to 2022-23 complaints from AYDC were in single figures but in 2022-23 there were 42 and in 2023-24 there were 45,” he said. 

Originally published as RTI requests continue to backup without funding or government support, the Ombudsman says