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About Right to Know Week NSW 2026
28 September marks the International Day for Universal Access to Information. The United Nations declared this international day in support of the right to seek and receive information encapsulated by Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which is a binding treaty.
The IPC celebrates an annual, week-long celebration around this international day: Right to Know (RTK) Week. Our RTK celebration focuses on raising awareness for the public about their rights and educating NSW agencies on their obligations around accessing NSW government-held information.
RTK Week will run from 28 September to 4 October 2026 and will celebrate the 2026 theme of Upholding Information Integrity in the Digital Age: The Role of Access to Information in Addressing Information Disorder.
IPC has been actively supporting Right to Know Week since 2014 and invites NSW public sector agencies, universities, and councils to collaborate with us to champion public sector transparency.
From the Information Commissioner
I am delighted to be leading this year's Right to Know Week NSW 2026 campaign, which focuses on information integrity and the role that access and availability of government information plays in helping to combat misinformation and disinformation.
In an increasingly complex digital environment, access to reliable and trustworthy information has never been more important. Accurate information supports informed decision-making, strengthens public confidence in institutions, and enables meaningful participation in our democracy. At the same time, the rapid spread of misinformation and disinformation presents significant challenges for governments, organisations and communities alike.
Access to information plays a critical role in addressing information disorder. By making information available, government agencies promote transparency, accountability and public trust. Open access to government information also equips individuals and communities with the tools they need to verify information, understand decisions that affect them, and engage confidently in public discourse.
This Right to Know Week NSW 2026, the IPC invites NSW government departments and agencies, universities, local councils, Ministers’ offices and state-owned corporations to take a proactive step towards providing access to information and combating misinformation and disinformation.
I hope you will join me in celebrating the week.
Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM FAAL FRSN
IPC CEO and Information Commissioner
What's on?
NSW Right to Know Week 2026 EventDate: 29 September 2026 Time: 9:30am – 10:30am Location: NSW Parliament Theatrette, Parliament of NSW, 6 Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000
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Speakers:
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Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM, NSW Information Commissioner and CEO (Facilitator)
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Lorraine Finlay, Human Rights Commissioner
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Kate Boyd PSM, Secretary of The Cabinet Office NSW
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Ellen Rock, Associate Professor in the UNSW Faculty of Law & Justice
Event overview
Information integrity plays a vital role in shaping how people understand, engage with and respond to the issues that affect their lives. In the digital age, information is created and dispersed at a rapid speed, providing greater opportunities for communication and learning. At the same time, this environment has enabled the accelerated spread of misinformation, disinformation and other forms of information disorder.
Information integrity refers to the accuracy, reliability and trustworthiness of information. Access to accurate, timely and authoritative information helps people make informed decisions, verify claims and have a better understanding of the policies, services and decisions that affect them. It also promotes transparency and accountability by ensuring governments and public institutions are open and responsive to their communities.
Our speakers will provide diverse perspectives on information integrity and public trust. Dr Lorraine Finlay, Human Rights Commissioner, will deliver a short address on information integrity and share her insights on the challenges of misinformation and disinformation. Dr Finlay will then join a panel discussion featuring Kate Boyd PSM, Secretary of The Cabinet Office NSW, and Associate Professor Ellen Rock from the UNSW Faculty of Law & Justice.
NSW Information Commissioner and CEO Prof Rosalind Croucher AM will facilitate the panel, addressing the overarching theme of Right to Know Week NSW 2026 and how information integrity plays a vital role in shaping how people understand, engage with and respond to the issues that affect their lives.
Registrations opening soon
2026 Champion Program
This year we continue to run our RTK Champion Program. NSW public sector agencies can join as Champions to help spread the RTK message as well as encourage their own agency and work colleagues to get involved and promote public rights.
Champions of the Program will receive a pack full of digital and printable resources, as well as written content such as newsletter articles, blog posts, social media posts, educational PowerPoint slides and more to make promoting the campaign easy.
Agencies will also be acknowledged as a Champion here on the RTK NSW webpage and via the IPC’s social media where possible.
Right to Know Week NSW 2026 Champions
NSW Government Champions
| Department of Communities and Justice Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Department of Customer Service Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development NSW Electoral Commission NSW Environmental Protection Agency NSW Fair Trading Premier's Department SafeWork NSW Single Digital Patient Record Implementation Authority, NSW Health State Records NSW The Cabinet Office NSW Treasury EnergyCo Health Professional Councils Authority HealthShare NSW NSW Local Land Services TAFE NSW |
Other celebrations around Australia
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner
Office of the Information Commissioner Queensland
