South Australian Consolidated Acts South Australian Consolidated Acts (1) The objects of
this Act are, consistently with the principle of the Executive Government's
responsibility to Parliament—
(a) to
promote openness in government and accountability of Ministers of the Crown
and other government agencies and thereby to enhance respect for the law and
further the good government of the State; and
(b) to
facilitate more effective participation by members of the public in the
processes involved in the making and administration of laws and policies.
(2) The means by which
it is intended to achieve these objects are as follows:
(a)
ensuring that information concerning the operations of government (including,
in particular, information concerning the rules and practices followed by
government in its dealings with members of the public) is readily available to
members of the public and to Members of Parliament; and
(b)
conferring on each member of the public and on Members of Parliament a legally
enforceable right to be given access to documents held by government, subject
only to such restrictions as are consistent with the public interest
(including maintenance of the effective conduct of public affairs through the
free and frank expression of opinions) and the preservation of personal
privacy; and
(c)
enabling each member of the public to apply for the amendment of such
government records concerning his or her personal affairs as are incomplete,
incorrect, out-of-date or misleading.
(3) Nothing in this
Act is intended to prevent or discourage the publication of information, the
giving of access to documents or the amendment of records otherwise than under
this Act if it is proper and reasonable to do so or if it is permitted or
required by or under any other Act or law.