Checklist - Agency Information Guide - Self-assessment Checklist
Read the introduction to the document below or download the whole version here Checklist - Agency Information Guide - Self Assessment Checklist July 2026
|
Who is this information for? For NSW public sector agency staff. Why is this information important? This checklist helps you to comply with your mandatory obligations in relation to Agency Information Guides. Relevant legislation This Fact Sheet is based on the following legislative provisions: Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 Part 3, especially Div 2 (GIPA Act) |
Overview
Section 20 of the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act) requires all agencies (other than a Minister) to have an Agency Information Guide (AIG). AIGs provide a valuable mechanism to ensure that members of the public have knowledge of, and access to, government information that is both current and significant in relation to the formulation of policy and service delivery by agencies, together with access to arrangements to participate in the formulation of policy and service delivery by agencies.
This self-assessment checklist reflects the requirements of the GIPA Act and provides additional guidance. The checklist does not prescribe the structure and format that an AIG should follow. Rather, it is a practical tool for an agency to assess the content of its AIG once it has been prepared. The Information Commissioner also uses this checklist to assess the quality of AIGs received and inform feedback to the agency.
For practical guidance on how to prepare an AIG, please refer to the Guideline for Agency Information Guides.
Mandatory Practice questions relate to the mandatory elements of the GIPA Act and agencies are strongly encouraged to complete them. Recommended Practice questions in the checklist have been included in italics to assist and guide an agency on how they may satisfy or demonstrate the requirements under the GIPA Act, or how to best promote and enhance Open Government, Open Data, and public participation. While these elements are not mandatory, they may assist agencies to assess their maturity in the utilisation of AIGs.
Self-assessment checklist:
| Assessment questions | Status | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open access information (Sections 6(2) & 18(a) of the GIPA Act) | |||
| 1 | Mandatory Practice: Has the agency made its AIG publicly available on its website? |
☐ YES ☐ NO |
|
| Recommended Practice: Is it easily accessible on the agency’s website, such as on its ‘access to information’ page? |
☐ YES ☐ NO |
||
| Adoption and review of AIGs (Section 21 of the GIPA Act) | |||
| 2 | Mandatory Practice: Has the agency reviewed its AIG and adopted a new AIG at an interval of not more than 12 months? |
☐ YES ☐ NO |
|
| Recommended Practice: Does the AIG include the date it was last reviewed/adopted/amended? |
☐ YES ☐ NO |
||
| AIG requirements (Section 20(1) of the GIPA Act) | |||
| 3 |
Mandatory Practice: Does the AIG describe the structure of the agency? Note: Refer to paragraph 8.1 of Guideline 6 |
☐ YES ☐ PART ☐ NO |
|
| Recommended Practice: Does the AIG describe the multiple divisions of the agency if applicable? |
☐ YES ☐ NO |
||
| Recommended Practice: Does the AIG describe how the agency operates in a cluster arrangement if applicable? |
☐ YES ☐ NO |
||
| Recommended Practice: Does it link to other agency AIGs where appropriate? |
☐ YES ☐ NO |
||
| 4 | Mandatory Practice: Does the AIG describe the functions of the agency? |
☐ YES ☐ PART ☐ NO |
|
| 5 | Mandatory Practice: Does the AIG describe the way in which the functions, especially decision-making functions, of the agency affect members of the public? |
☐ YES ☐ PART ☐ NO |
|
| 6 | Mandatory Practice: Does the AIG specify any arrangements that exist to enable members of the public to participate in the formulation of the agency’s policies? |
☐ YES ☐ PART ☐ NO |
|
| 7 | Mandatory Practice: Does the AIG specify any arrangements that exist to enable members of the public to participate in the exercise of the agency’s functions? |
☐ YES ☐ PART ☐ NO |
|
| 8 | Mandatory Practice: Does the AIG identify the various kinds of government information held by the agency? |
☐ YES ☐ PART ☐ NO |
|
| 9 | Mandatory Practice: Does the AIG identify the kinds of government information held by the agency that the agency makes or will make publicly available? |
☐ YES ☐ PART ☐ NO |
|
| 10 | Mandatory Practice: Does the AIG specify the manner in which the agency makes or will make government information publicly available? |
☐ YES ☐ PART ☐ NO |
|
| 11 | Mandatory Practice: Does the AIG identify the kinds of information that the Agency makes or will make publicly available free of charge? |
☐ YES ☐ PART ☐ NO |
|
| 12 | Mandatory Practice: Does the AIG identify the kinds of information that will be made publicly available free of charge? |
☐ YES ☐ PART ☐ NO |
|
| 13 | Mandatory Practice: Does the AIG identify the kinds of information that a charge is or will be imposed by the Agency? |
☐ YES ☐ PART ☐ NO |
|
| 14 | Mandatory Practice: Does the AIG identify the kinds of information for which a charge will be imposed? |
☐ YES ☐ PART ☐ NO |
|
| AIG Government Information (Section 20(2) of the GIPA Act) | |||
| 15 | Mandatory Practice: Has the agency made government information publicly available as provided by its AIG? |
☐ YES ☐ PART ☐ NO |
|
| Recommended Practice: Is there a process for ensuring information is released, such as through a proactive release strategy or committee? |
☐ YES ☐ NO |
||
| Local authorities (Section 20(3) of the GIPA Act) | |||
| 16 | Mandatory Practice: Where the Chief Executive of the Office of Local Government (OLG), in consultation with the Information Commissioner, has adopted mandatory provisions for inclusion in the AIGs of local authorities – has the AIG (of a local authority) included the mandatory provision, unless otherwise approved by the Chief Executive OLG in a particular case? |
☐ YES ☐ PART ☐ NO |
|
| Role of the Information Commissioner (Section 22(1) of the GIPA Act) | |||
| 17 | Mandatory Practice: Has the agency notified the Information Commissioner before adopting or amending its AIG? |
☐ YES ☐ NO |
|
| Open Government, Open Data & public participation | |||
| 18 | Recommended Practice: Does the AIG adopt a core set of headings in line with the Guideline for AIGs to promote consistency across the government sectors and make it easier for the public to find the information that they seek? |
☐ YES ☐ PART ☐ NO |
|
| 19 | Recommended Practice: Generally consider – How does the AIG promote Open Government? | ||
| Recommended Practice: Does the AIG provide a public resource that informs members of the public about the information that the agency holds, the agency’s engagement channels, and its decision-making processes? |
☐ YES ☐ NO |
||
| 20 | Recommended Practice: Generally consider – How does the AIG identify any data held by the agency and detail the way the agency will make the data open to members of the public? | ||
| Recommended Practice: Does the AIG link to other open data initiatives such as data.nsw.gov.au? |
☐ YES ☐ NO |
||
| 21 | Recommended Practice: Generally consider – How does the AIG inform the public about how the agency engages with members of the public and stakeholders on the formulation of policy and service delivery? | ||
| 22 | Recommended Practice: Generally consider – Does the AIG disclose to the public about whether the agency uses of Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Automatic Decision-Making (ADM)? |
☐ YES ☐ NO |
|
|
Recommended Practice: Generally consider – Does the AIG disclose and generally describe the circumstances when AI or ADM is in use? Consider the type of system, how it operates, legislative basis, any policy relied upon and any assurance processes in place. |
☐ YES ☐ NO |
||
| General – review against previously submitted AIG | |||
| a. | General: Was IPC feedback provided in the previous AIG? |
☐ YES ☐ NO |
|
| b. | General: Has the IPC feedback been incorporated into the new AIG? |
☐ YES ☐ PART ☐ NO |
|
| c. | General: If IPC feedback has not been addressed do the issues remain present? |
☐ YES ☐ PART ☐ NO |
|
| General comments |
For more information
Contact the Information and Privacy Commission NSW (IPC):
Freecall: 1800 472 679
Email: ipcinfo@ipc.nsw.gov.au
Website: www.ipc.nsw.gov.au
NOTE: The information in this fact sheet is to be used as a guide only. Legal advice should be sought in relation to individual circumstances.