Strategic Plan 2026–29

Information integrity, access to government information and privacy rights matter more than ever. We have a critical role in upholding rights, ensuring laws and rules are applied fairly, and delivering impactful outcomes for the community in a way that contributes to trust in our democratic institutions and the economy.

The public has high expectations of us as the independent body that oversees Australia’s FOI and privacy frameworks. We have ambitious reforms to deliver. The evidence shows that people want more transparency from government and are deeply concerned about their privacy rights. At the same time, rapid changes in technology and data systems are changing how public information is created and how personal information is used.

We are well placed to meet this challenge. We have strengthened our organisational culture, regulatory approach and enterprise practices. We have built our profile as a proactive and proportionate regulator that sets clear expectations, influences where it matters, and has the courage to take enforcement action when needed. We have also made major efficiency improvements in resolving FOI and privacy matters notwithstanding significant increases in demand for our regulatory interventions.

We have identified 3 core strategic impacts: address power and information asymmetries, promote information integrity, and embed fairness, accountability and transparency in new technology. These impacts are central to our goal of increasing public trust in Australia’s privacy and FOI systems.

Our mandate as an integrity agency demands transparency, accountability and fairness. These core operating values align with the expected behaviors of the stewards of government information – the Australian Public Service. Our active oversight and regulatory intelligence will highlight harms and promote remediation to ensure that government information is an accessible and reliable single source of truth.

To deliver this strategy, we will need courageous and insightful leadership that can guide us through uncertainty and change, ensuring we are an effective regulator that focusses on the most material harms and systemic improvements. We will keep improving our efficiency, including through digital transformation, and focus our effort where we can make the greatest difference using the full range of our regulatory tools. We will also continue investing in ensuring that our people have the skills and capabilities they need now and for the future to deliver our regulatory mandates effectively.