Information Access and Privacy regulators from across Australia have issued a joint statement to mark National Sorry Day (26 May).
Australian Information Access Commissioners and Privacy Authorities recognise the important role of historical records in truth telling and sharing history, intergenerational healing, redress and reparations for Stolen Generation survivors and their families.
The Healing Foundation's Principles for nationally consistent approaches to accessing Stolen Generations records will inform ongoing discussions about greater national consistency.
We acknowledge that the Principles support implementation of recommendations about access to records from the Bringing Them Home (1997) and Make Healing Happen: It's time to act (2021) reports.
We are committed to working together with the Healing Foundation and stakeholders to champion timely, easy access to records through informal access schemes wherever possible, with formal access applications required only as a last resort.
Signed
Angelene Falk Australian Information Commissioner and Privacy Commissioner Leo Hardiman QC Australian Freedom of Information Commissioner Rachael Rangihaeata Information Commissioner, Queensland Paxton Booth Privacy Commissioner, Queensland Anna Rickard and Katie Shepherd A/Right to Information Commissioners, Queensland Catherine Fletcher Information Commissioner, Western Australia Richard Connock Ombudsman, Tasmania Wayne Lines Ombudsman, South Australia Stephanie Coleman A/Director, State Records, Privacy Committee of South Australia |
Sven Bluemmel Information Commissioner, Victoria Rachel Dixon Privacy and Data Protection Deputy Commissioner, Victoria Joanne Kummrow Public Access Deputy Commissioner, Victoria Penny McKay A/ACT Ombudsman Elizabeth Tydd Information Commissioner, New South Wales Samantha Gavel Privacy Commissioner, New South Wales Peter Shoyer Information Commissioner, Northern Territory Brenda Monaghan Deputy Information Commissioner, Northern Territory |
