Northern Territory Consolidated Acts

INFORMATION ACT - SECT 3

(1) The objects of this Act are -

(a) to provide the Territory community with access to government information by -

(i) making available to the public information about the operations of public sector organisations and, in particular, ensuring that rules and practices affecting members of the public in their dealings with public sector organisations are readily available to persons affected by those rules and practices; and

(ii) creating a general right of access to information held by public sector organisations limited only in those circumstances where the disclosure of particular information would be contrary to the public interest because its disclosure would have a prejudicial effect on essential public interests or on the private and business interests of persons in respect of whom information is held by public sector organisations;

(b) to protect the privacy of personal information held by public sector organisations by -

(i) providing individuals with a right of access to, and a right to request correction of, their personal information held by public sector organisations;

(ii) establishing a regime for the responsible collection and handling of personal information by public sector organisations; and

(iii) providing remedies for interference with the privacy of an individual's personal information;

(c) to establish an independent officeholder, the Information Commissioner, to oversee the freedom of information and privacy provisions of this Act; and

(d) to promote efficient and accountable government through appropriate records and archives management by public sector organisations.

(2) This Act is intended to strike a balance between competing interests by giving members of the Territory community a right of access to government information with limited exceptions and exemptions for the purpose of preventing a prejudicial effect on the public interest as described in subsection (1)(a)(ii).

(3) This Act -

(a) does not replace other procedures for accessing government information; and

(b) does not limit in any way access to government information (other than personal information) that is publicly available.