Right to Know Statistics

Here you can see how well public bodies have responded to requests on Right to Know and meet the people most actively using it. You can also find statistics about requests over time.

Public Bodies

This section on public body statistics is currently experimental, so there are some caveats that should be borne in mind:

  • The percentages are calculated with respect to the total number of requests, which includes invalid requests; this is a known problem that will be fixed in a later release.
  • The classification of requests (e.g. to say whether they were successful or not) is done manually by users and administrators of the site, which means that they are subject to error.
  • Requests are considered successful if they were classified as either 'Successful' or 'Partially Successful'.
  • Requests are considered overdue if they are in the 'Overdue' or 'Very Overdue' states.
  • The error bars shown are 95% confidence intervals for the hypothesized underlying proportion (i.e. that which you would obtain by making an infinite number of requests through this site to that authority). In other words, the population being sampled is all the current and future requests to the authority through this site, rather than, say, all requests that have been made to the public body by any means.
  • Hidden requests are not counted. Unclassified requests do not count towards the percentages.

These graphs were partly inspired by some statistics that Mark Goodge produced for WhatDoTheyKnow, so thanks are due to him.

Public bodies with the most requests

Public Body Number of requests
National Disability Insurance Agency 128
Department of Industry, Science, Energy & Resources 130
Department of Defence 137
Attorney-General's Department 155
Australian Federal Police 167
Department of Health 173
Australian Taxation Office 194
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet 196
Services Australia 219
Department of Home Affairs 747

Public bodies with the most successful requests

Public Body Percentage of total requests
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission 52
Australian Securities and Investments Commission 53
Digital Transformation Agency 54
Australian Public Service Commission 55
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency 56
Australian Crime Commission 58
Department of the Environment and Energy 58
Department of Veterans' Affairs 59
Blacktown City Council 59
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner 70

Public bodies with the fewest successful requests

Public Body Percentage of total requests
Department of the House of Representatives 5
NSW Police Force 8
Transport for NSW 13
Roads and Maritime Services 13
Prime Minister 14
National Disability Insurance Agency 19
Therapeutic Goods Administration 20
Victoria Police 22
Services Australia 23
Sydney Trains 25

Public bodies with most overdue requests

Public Body Percentage of requests that are overdue
Australian Postal Corporation 16
Prime Minister 18
NSW Police Force 20
NSW Department of Education 21
Department of Veterans' Affairs 23
Administrative Appeals Tribunal 25
Roads and Maritime Services 26
Victoria Police 26
Transport for NSW 33
Department of the House of Representatives 38

Public bodies that most frequently replied with "Not Held"

Public Body Percentage of total requests
Australian Building and Construction Commission 20
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources 20
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications 21
Prime Minister 21
Department of the Treasury 22
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency 24
Australian Communications and Media Authority 24
Department of Education 24
Department of Health 33
Department of the House of Representatives 33

People

Most frequent requesters

Last 28 days

  1. S

    Shirley

    Joined in 2021

    12

  2. T

    Trav S

    Joined in 2020

    7

  3. Profile image for Phillip Sweeney

    Phillip Sweeney

    Joined in 2014

    6

  4. L

    Lucas Baird

    Joined in 2019

    5

  5. M

    Mario Knox

    Joined in 2021

    2

  6. F

    Fraser Tweedale

    Joined in 2016

    2

  7. S

    Shirley Humphris

    Joined in 2021

    2

  8. J

    jxeeno

    Joined in 2013

    2

  9. J

    Johny Sebastian

    Joined in 2021

    2

  10. T

    Teleigha ross

    Joined in 2021

    2

All time

  1. Profile image for Ben Fairless

    Ben Fairless

    Joined in 2013

    436

  2. J

    James Smith

    Joined in 2016

    339

  3. Profile image for Phillip Sweeney

    Phillip Sweeney

    Joined in 2014

    282

  4. N

    Nigel Gladstone

    Joined in 2016

    158

  5. J

    Jackson Gothe-Snape

    Joined in 2014

    138

  6. J

    John Smith

    Joined in 2020

    108

  7. Profile image for Verity Pane

    Verity Pane

    Joined in 2016

    75

  8. Profile image for Dan Monceaux

    Dan Monceaux

    Joined in 2016

    74

  9. S

    Shirley

    Joined in 2021

    73

  10. A

    Asher Hirsch

    Joined in 2016

    65

Most frequent annotators

Last 28 days

  1. Profile image for Luke Bacon

    Luke Bacon

    Joined in 2013

    1

  2. Profile image for Ben Fairless

    Ben Fairless

    Joined in 2013

    1

  3. C

    c.faulk

    Joined in 2018

    1

  4. M

    Mathew M.

    Joined in 2020

    1

  5. R

    Robert Gorwa

    Joined in 2020

    1

  6. L

    Lucy Lovich

    Joined in 2021

    1

  7. S

    Shirley

    Joined in 2021

    1

  8. J

    Jasmine Evans

    Joined in 2021

    1

All time

  1. Profile image for Locutus Sum

    Locutus Sum

    Joined in 2013

    600

  2. Profile image for Ben Fairless

    Ben Fairless

    Joined in 2013

    295

  3. Profile image for Henare Degan

    Henare Degan

    Joined in 2012

    157

  4. Profile image for Verity Pane

    Verity Pane

    Joined in 2016

    129

  5. Profile image for Posty

    Posty

    Joined in 2013

    71

  6. M

    Mark R. Diamond

    Joined in 2013

    63

  7. Profile image for Alex Sadleir

    Alex Sadleir

    Joined in 2012

    56

  8. Profile image for Dan Monceaux

    Dan Monceaux

    Joined in 2016

    51

  9. J

    James Baldwin

    Joined in 2016

    39

  10. E

    Evelyn Doyle

    Joined in 2012

    35

Requests

Hidden

From time to time requests need to be hidden on Right to Know. This can happen for a number of reasons. For example, the request could be about someone’s personal information that shouldn’t be public or the contents could be abusive.

Here you can see how often Right to Know administrators have hidden requests.

Week starting Request hide events
2012-10-15 0
2012-10-22 0
2012-10-29 0
2012-11-05 0
2012-11-12 0
2012-11-19 0
2012-11-26 1
2012-12-03 0
2012-12-10 0
2012-12-17 0
2012-12-24 0
2012-12-31 0
2013-01-07 0
2013-01-14 0
2013-01-21 0
2013-01-28 0
2013-02-04 2
2013-02-11 1
2013-02-18 0
2013-02-25 0
2013-03-04 0
2013-03-11 0
2013-03-18 0
2013-03-25 0
2013-04-01 0
2013-04-08 0
2013-04-15 0
2013-04-22 0
2013-04-29 0
2013-05-06 0
2013-05-13 0
2013-05-20 0
2013-05-27 0
2013-06-03 0
2013-06-10 0
2013-06-17 1
2013-06-24 2
2013-07-01 1
2013-07-08 1
2013-07-15 0
2013-07-22 1
2013-07-29 1
2013-08-05 3
2013-08-12 1
2013-08-19 3
2013-08-26 0
2013-09-02 0
2013-09-09 1
2013-09-16 3
2013-09-23 1
2013-09-30 1
2013-10-07 0
2013-10-14 0
2013-10-21 0
2013-10-28 0
2013-11-04 0
2013-11-11 0
2013-11-18 0
2013-11-25 0
2013-12-02 0
2013-12-09 0
2013-12-16 0
2013-12-23 0
2013-12-30 0
2014-01-06 0
2014-01-13 1
2014-01-20 0
2014-01-27 1
2014-02-03 0
2014-02-10 3
2014-02-17 3
2014-02-24 0
2014-03-03 0
2014-03-10 0
2014-03-17 1
2014-03-24 0
2014-03-31 0
2014-04-07 0
2014-04-14 0
2014-04-21 1
2014-04-28 0
2014-05-05 0
2014-05-12 0
2014-05-19 0
2014-05-26 0
2014-06-02 0
2014-06-09 0
2014-06-16 2
2014-06-23 0
2014-06-30 0
2014-07-07 0
2014-07-14 0
2014-07-21 0
2014-07-28 1
2014-08-04 0
2014-08-11 0
2014-08-18 0
2014-08-25 0
2014-09-01 0
2014-09-08 0
2014-09-15 0
2014-09-22 0
2014-09-29 0
2014-10-06 0
2014-10-13 0
2014-10-20 1
2014-10-27 0
2014-11-03 0
2014-11-10 0
2014-11-17 1
2014-11-24 0
2014-12-01 0
2014-12-08 0
2014-12-15 0
2014-12-22 2
2014-12-29 1
2015-01-05 0
2015-01-12 0
2015-01-19 0
2015-01-26 0
2015-02-02 0
2015-02-09 0
2015-02-16 0
2015-02-23 0
2015-03-02 0
2015-03-09 0
2015-03-16 0
2015-03-23 0
2015-03-30 0
2015-04-06 0
2015-04-13 0
2015-04-20 0
2015-04-27 0
2015-05-04 0
2015-05-11 0
2015-05-18 0
2015-05-25 0
2015-06-01 0
2015-06-08 0
2015-06-15 0
2015-06-22 1
2015-06-29 0
2015-07-06 0
2015-07-13 1
2015-07-20 1
2015-07-27 5
2015-08-03 2
2015-08-10 5
2015-08-17 2
2015-08-24 2
2015-08-31 2
2015-09-07 4
2015-09-14 3
2015-09-21 0
2015-09-28 0
2015-10-05 2
2015-10-12 3
2015-10-19 0
2015-10-26 0
2015-11-02 5
2015-11-09 2
2015-11-16 1
2015-11-23 1
2015-11-30 2
2015-12-07 2
2015-12-14 1
2015-12-21 0
2015-12-28 2
2016-01-04 3
2016-01-11 6
2016-01-18 1
2016-01-25 0
2016-02-01 1
2016-02-08 5
2016-02-15 0
2016-02-22 2
2016-02-29 1
2016-03-07 3
2016-03-14 3
2016-03-21 4
2016-03-28 5
2016-04-04 2
2016-04-11 2
2016-04-18 1
2016-04-25 2
2016-05-02 3
2016-05-09 0
2016-05-16 4
2016-05-23 1
2016-05-30 0
2016-06-06 2
2016-06-13 4
2016-06-20 2
2016-06-27 6
2016-07-04 0
2016-07-11 2
2016-07-18 15
2016-07-25 3
2016-08-01 3
2016-08-08 2
2016-08-15 2
2016-08-22 2
2016-08-29 3
2016-09-05 8
2016-09-12 2
2016-09-19 38
2016-09-26 4
2016-10-03 12
2016-10-10 9
2016-10-17 4
2016-10-24 6
2016-10-31 1
2016-11-07 0
2016-11-14 4
2016-11-21 2
2016-11-28 4
2016-12-05 6
2016-12-12 2
2016-12-19 1
2016-12-26 2
2017-01-02 1
2017-01-09 7
2017-01-16 2
2017-01-23 3
2017-01-30 8
2017-02-06 5
2017-02-13 4
2017-02-20 3
2017-02-27 3
2017-03-06 3
2017-03-13 3
2017-03-20 4
2017-03-27 1
2017-04-03 2
2017-04-10 3
2017-04-17 2
2017-04-24 3
2017-05-01 4
2017-05-08 3
2017-05-15 7
2017-05-22 7
2017-05-29 3
2017-06-05 5
2017-06-12 1
2017-06-19 7
2017-06-26 3
2017-07-03 3
2017-07-10 1
2017-07-17 0
2017-07-24 2
2017-07-31 0
2017-08-07 1
2017-08-14 2
2017-08-21 2
2017-08-28 2
2017-09-04 0
2017-09-11 0
2017-09-18 0
2017-09-25 0
2017-10-02 1
2017-10-09 1
2017-10-16 1
2017-10-23 1
2017-10-30 1
2017-11-06 2
2017-11-13 0
2017-11-20 1
2017-11-27 0
2017-12-04 0
2017-12-11 0
2017-12-18 0
2017-12-25 0
2018-01-01 4
2018-01-08 2
2018-01-15 0
2018-01-22 0
2018-01-29 1
2018-02-05 0
2018-02-12 1
2018-02-19 0
2018-02-26 0
2018-03-05 2
2018-03-12 0
2018-03-19 0
2018-03-26 0
2018-04-02 0
2018-04-09 1
2018-04-16 0
2018-04-23 0
2018-04-30 0
2018-05-07 0
2018-05-14 3
2018-05-21 0
2018-05-28 1
2018-06-04 0
2018-06-11 0
2018-06-18 0
2018-06-25 0
2018-07-02 0
2018-07-09 0
2018-07-16 0
2018-07-23 2
2018-07-30 1
2018-08-06 0
2018-08-13 3
2018-08-20 0
2018-08-27 0
2018-09-03 0
2018-09-10 0
2018-09-17 1
2018-09-24 0
2018-10-01 1
2018-10-08 0
2018-10-15 0
2018-10-22 0
2018-10-29 0
2018-11-05 0
2018-11-12 0
2018-11-19 0
2018-11-26 0
2018-12-03 0
2018-12-10 0
2018-12-17 1
2018-12-24 0
2018-12-31 0
2019-01-07 1
2019-01-14 0
2019-01-21 0
2019-01-28 0
2019-02-04 0
2019-02-11 0
2019-02-18 0
2019-02-25 0
2019-03-04 2
2019-03-11 0
2019-03-18 0
2019-03-25 0
2019-04-01 0
2019-04-08 0
2019-04-15 0
2019-04-22 0
2019-04-29 5
2019-05-06 1
2019-05-13 0
2019-05-20 2
2019-05-27 0
2019-06-03 0
2019-06-10 0
2019-06-17 0
2019-06-24 1
2019-07-01 0
2019-07-08 0
2019-07-15 0
2019-07-22 4
2019-07-29 0
2019-08-05 5
2019-08-12 0
2019-08-19 1
2019-08-26 0
2019-09-02 0
2019-09-09 0
2019-09-16 0
2019-09-23 0
2019-09-30 0
2019-10-07 1
2019-10-14 7
2019-10-21 5
2019-10-28 4
2019-11-04 5
2019-11-11 10
2019-11-18 0
2019-11-25 0
2019-12-02 0
2019-12-09 2
2019-12-16 0
2019-12-23 0
2019-12-30 0
2020-01-06 0
2020-01-13 0
2020-01-20 0
2020-01-27 0
2020-02-03 1
2020-02-10 0
2020-02-17 0
2020-02-24 0
2020-03-02 0
2020-03-09 4
2020-03-16 0
2020-03-23 0
2020-03-30 0
2020-04-06 0
2020-04-13 0
2020-04-20 0
2020-04-27 0
2020-05-04 0
2020-05-11 0
2020-05-18 0
2020-05-25 0
2020-06-01 0
2020-06-08 0
2020-06-15 0
2020-06-22 0
2020-06-29 0
2020-07-06 0
2020-07-13 0
2020-07-20 0
2020-07-27 0
2020-08-03 0
2020-08-10 0
2020-08-17 0
2020-08-24 0
2020-08-31 0
2020-09-07 0
2020-09-14 1
2020-09-21 0
2020-09-28 0
2020-10-05 0
2020-10-12 0
2020-10-19 0
2020-10-26 1
2020-11-02 0
2020-11-09 0
2020-11-16 0
2020-11-23 0
2020-11-30 0
2020-12-07 9
2020-12-14 4
2020-12-21 0
2020-12-28 7
2021-01-04 0
2021-01-11 0
2021-01-18 1
2021-01-25 1
2021-02-01 1
2021-02-08 2
2021-02-15 0
2021-02-22 1
2021-03-01 5
2021-03-08 1
2021-03-15 1
2021-03-22 0
2021-03-29 0
2021-04-05 0
2021-04-12 3
2021-04-19 0
2021-04-26 0
2021-05-03 7
2021-05-10 0
2021-05-17 0
2021-05-24 0
2021-05-31 1
2021-06-07 0
2021-06-14 0
2021-06-21 0
2021-06-28 0
2021-07-05 0
2021-07-12 1
2021-07-19 0
2021-07-26 0
2021-08-02 0