Our Commissioners
Learn more about our Commissioners below...
Information Commissioner
The Information Commissioner is appointed as an independent office holder under section 4 of the Government Information (Information Commissioner) Act 2009 (NSW) (GIIC Act), and is also the Chief Executive Officer of the IPC. The Information Commissioner is appointed by the Governor of New South Wales and reports directly to the Parliament with oversight by the Joint Parliamentary Committee. This is reported in publicly available documents including the IPC’s annual report.
Ms Elizabeth Tydd is the Information Commissioner. Ms Tydd was first appointed to the role on 23 December 2013 for a five-year term and was re-appointed for a further five-year term concluding 23 December 2023. Under the GIIC Act, a person is not eligible to be appointed for more than 2 terms of office as Information Commissioner.
Ms Tydd’s role is to promote public awareness and understanding of the right to access government information in NSW, as well as providing information, support, advice, assistance and training to agencies and the general public.
As Information Commissioner, Ms Tydd has the power to review decisions made by other NSW government agencies and deal with complaints about information access, monitor agency functions and reports to the Attorney General and the Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government, Minister for Small Business, Minister for Fair Trading about proposals for legislative or administrative change.
In April 2016, the then Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation, the Hon. Victor Dominello MP, invited Ms Tydd to take on the role of NSW Open Data Advocate. In this capacity, Ms Tydd provides advice to the Data Analytics Centre (DAC) and across the NSW Government on non-personal data that should be released to the public.
Ms Tydd has extensive regulatory and governance experience at an executive and Board level, in a range of jurisdictions and industries including commercial, not for profit and public sector oversight.
As the Executive Director, Office of Liquor Gaming and Racing, Ms Tydd oversaw the development and implementation of a contemporary risk-based approach to regulation in these sectors, including the introduction of a periodic risk-based regulatory model for licenced premises. She was also responsible for executive oversight of this major strategic policy environment.
At the NSW Office of Fair Trading, Ms Tydd occupied the position of Assistant Commissioner of the Compliance and Legal Group. In this role she was responsible for regulating significant industries, including real estate, the motor industry, and general consumer transactions. She has additionally played a key role in the development of Australian consumer law and the implementation of a national framework for compliance activities.
Ms Tydd has been appointed to a number of significant statutory roles, including Deputy President of the NSW Workers Compensation Commission and Deputy Chairperson of the former Consumer Trader and Tenancy Tribunal.
She has also held a number of board and committee appointments, including Trustee of the Responsible Gambling Fund, the University of Technology Law Advisory Board and the boards of the Delta Society and the Catholic Development Fund Sydney.
Ms Tydd has published various reports and articles in journals, including the NSW Law Society Journal and Public Administration Today.
Ms Tydd is an accredited mediator, Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Institute of Public Administration. She holds a Bachelor of Laws and Master of Laws from the University of Technology Sydney, as well as post graduate certificates in executive management and governance.
Salary details
The NSW Information Commissioner's remuneration is published in the IPC's annual report.
Delegation of authority
The Commissioner may delegate the exercise of any function of the Commissioner, under the Instrument of delegation under section 13 of the Government Information (Information Commissioner) 2009 (GIIC Act).
See the Information Commissioner's Instrument of Delegation
See the IPC CEO - Instrument of Authorisation
View the video at the bottom of the page featuring the Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Tydd.
Privacy Commissioner
Sonia Minutillo was appointed as the Acting Privacy Commissioner in August 2023. As Acting Privacy Commissioner, her role includes the promotion of public awareness and understanding of privacy rights in NSW, as well as providing information, support, advice and assistance to agencies and the public.
The Privacy Commissioner administers the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (PPIP Act) and the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (HRIP Act).
Prior to being appointed as Acting Privacy Commissioner, she was the Director, Investigation and Reporting at the Information and Privacy Commission NSW (IPC) leading the IPC’s regulatory functions, including the conduct of reviews, complaints, investigations, proactive audits and performance reporting across both information access and privacy legislative regimes. As the Director, Investigation and Reporting, she is also the IPC’s Chief Audit Executive.
Ms Minutillo has also worked in other senior roles in NSW Government and the non-profit sectors in the fields of industrial relations, and employment rights and obligations under NSW and Commonwealth legislation.
Ms Minutillo holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Wollongong and an Executive Masters in Public Administration from Sydney University. She also holds a Graduate Certificate in Public Sector Management from Flinders University, a Certificate IV in Government Investigations (Regulatory Compliance) and is a Member of the Institute of Company Directors.
Salary details
The Privacy Commissioner's remuneration is published in the IPC's annual report.
Delegation of authority
The Commissioner may delegate the exercise of any function of the Commissioner, under the Instrument of delegation under section 35H of the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (PPIP Act).
See the Privacy Commissioner's Instrument of Delegation
