PUBLIC INFORMATION AMENDMENT BILL 2016 Explanatory Statement

Northern Territory Explanatory Statements

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PUBLIC INFORMATION AMENDMENT BILL 2016

PUBLIC INFORMATION AMENDMENT ACT 2016 I
SERIAL NO 156

MEMBER FOR WANGURI

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

GENERAL OUTLINE
This Bill amends the Public Information Act.

The purpose of this Bill is to ensure Government money spent on public
information is done so in the public interest.

The Bill includes criteria which public information must meet and sets
standards that public information must meet.

There is also allowance to ensure that if a Member of the Legislative
Assembly requested a review by the Auditor General of public
information, that they are provided with a report around the findings.

NOTES ON CLAUSES

Clause 1. Short Title.

This is a formal clause which provides for the citation of the bill. The
bill when passed may be cited as the Public Information Amendment
Act 2016.

Clause 2. Act amended

This Act amends the Public Information Act

Clause 3. Section 2A inserted

This clause inserts the criteria that public information must meet at least
one of the following.

(a) The information serves to do any of the following:

(i) Maximise compliance with the laws of the Territory;

(ii) Achieve awareness of a new or amended law;

(iii) Improve public safety or personal security;

(iv) Encourage responsible behaviour;

(v) Preserve order in the event of an emergency;

(vi) Promote awareness of rights, responsibilities, duties or

entitlements;

(vii) Encourage usage of, or familiarity with, government products or

services;

(b) The purpose of the information is to do any of the following:

(i) Report on performance in relation to government undertakings;

(ii) Communicate functions of government (for example, education

campaigns, recruitment, community engagement, expression

of interest, future plans);

(iii) Communicate on matters of social cohesion, civic pride,

community spirit or tolerance.

Clause 4. Part 1A inserted

This clause inserts standards for giving of public information and
ensuring information is factual and does not comment or attack views,
policies or actions of a political party or politician. This includes:

5A Ensuring public information is factual

A public authority giving public information must ensure;

(a) All facts (including comparisons) and statistics are presented

accurately and objectively; and
(b) All arguments are presented objectively; and
(c) The source of all data is indicated or a means for identifying the
data source is provided.

5B Comments by Agencies

An agency must not, in giving public information, do either of the
following:

(a) Comment on the views, policies or actions of a particular political

party or politician;

(b) Attack the views, policies or actions or a particular political party or politician.

Clause 5. Section 6 amended

This Clause amends Section 6 to insert 6(2)(d) that provides that
including in public information an image of the holder or occupier of the
office of a Minister may contravene the Act.

Where photos can be used is inserted in (5) which allows for a
photograph of a minister to be used in public information if it is for use
outside of the Territory and it enhances the effectiveness of the
communication.

Allowance for photos of Ministers is also allowed and inserted in (6)
when there is an emergency.

Clause 6. Section 7 amended

This clause amends section 7 in 7 (3) (a) so if the review of public
information is requested by a Member of the Assembly that they also
receive a copy of the report produced by the Auditor General on their
findings. This eliminates the need to keep 7(4) in the Act and is
therefore omitted.

Clause 7. Expiry of the Act

This clause states this Act expires on the day after it commences.

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