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ZEN INFORMATION
FOI and Building Trust
FOI in WA and the role of information governance.
Over 300 professionals attended the FOI in WA Conference in Perth on 21 November, 2019. The theme of Building Trust was explored across the program in two ways. Firstly, considering how Freedom of Information (FOI) can build public trust in government; and secondly, advice and inspiration to help practitioners trust themselves and the FOI process to meet the objects of the FOI Act (WA):
to enable the public to participate more effectively in governing the State’ and to make the persons and bodies that are responsible for State and local government more accountable to the public.
Emeritus Professor Geoff Gallup AC gave the keynote presentation. He discussed the role of openness as a foundation for democracy. This is based on the view that information held by government is a public resource which should be used for public benefit; and that the community has a right to be informed about government operations.
FOI and information governance
FOI is focused on making government information accessible to the public, and access is at the heart of all aspects of information governance.
