Wednesday 28th September, 2022, Port Moresby – The Government of Papua New Guinea and State Agencies should work to deliver on recent legislation that supports citizens’ right to know said Transparency International Papua New Guinea (TIPNG). In a statement to commemorate International Day for Universal Access to Information which occurs annually on 28th September, TIPNG welcomed the Open Data requirements enacted in the Digital Government Act 2022. TIPNG reiterated civil society’s expectation that the Government and national institutions collaborate to make public information accessible to all citizens in accordance with Section 51 of the National Constitution.
“Papua New Guineans have a right to know what is done by public officials, with public money for the public good and it is incumbent on our government and national institutions to deliver on this constitutional right. We have recently seen in our 2022 National General Election how the lack of timely, accessible and accurate information undermined public confidence and weakened electoral integrity. This is true across the entirety of the public sector, access to information is essential for public confidence and national integrity,” said Peter Aitsi, TIPNG Board Chair.
“TIPNG welcomes recent legislated requirements in the Digital Government Act 2022 that compels state agencies to maintain standards of Open Data for citizens to access public information. These legislative developments led by Secretary and Department of ICT, alongside national commitments in the Open Government Partnership, to enact a comprehensive Freedom of Information Act and for increased fiscal transparency should be supported by all sectors of society, including the Private Sector and international development partners.”
“The Right to Information complements other civic rights including Freedom of Association and Freedom of Speech. Recent statements by the Government restricting domestic and international media from making information public, provisions within the Cybercrime Act, and self-interested censorship by public officials undermine these reforms, and must be opposed,” said Mr. Aitsi.
Section 36 of the Digital Government Act 2022 requires the State to develop open data principles that shall have regard to public use of data across all sectors and to ensure that any open data is easily discoverable and available. Further, the Act requires that Public Bodies shall that open data kept up to date in an automated way. There requirements will be further articulated in the forthcoming National Digital Government Plan 2023-2027
