PUBLIC INFORMATION REGULATIONS 2017
NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA
PUBLIC INFORMATION REGULATIONS 2017
As in force at 11 August 2025
Table of provisions
1 Citation ............................................................................................ 1
2 Commencement .............................................................................. 1
3 Purpose of public information to be in public interest ...................... 1
5 Comment by Agencies .................................................................... 2
ENDNOTES
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NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA
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As in force at 11 August 2025
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PUBLIC INFORMATION REGULATIONS 2017
Regulations under the Public Information Act 2010
1 Citation
These Regulations may be cited as the Public Information
Regulations 2017.
2 Commencement
These Regulations commence on the commencement of the Public
Information Amendment Act 2016.
3 Purpose of public information to be in public interest
For section 6(2A) of the Act, the Ombudsman may consider the
information is in the public interest if the information has a purpose
that includes one of the following:
(a) maximises compliance with the laws of the Territory;
(b) achieves awareness of a new or amended law;
(c) improves public safety or personal security;
(d) encourages responsible behaviour;
(e) preserves order in the event of an emergency;
(f) promotes awareness of rights, responsibilities, duties or
entitlements;
(g) encourages usage of, or familiarity with, government products
or services;
(h) informs the public of new, existing or proposed government
programs, policies or projects;
(i) reports on performance in relation to government
undertakings;
(j) communicates functions of government;
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Public Information Regulations 2017 2
(k) communicates on matters of social cohesion, civic pride,
community spirit or tolerance.
Examples for paragraph (j)
Education campaigns, recruitment, community engagement, expressions of
interest and future plans.
5 Comment by Agencies
(1) An Agency giving public information must not do either of the
following:
(a) comment on the views, policies or actions of a particular
political party or political person;
(b) criticise the views, policies or actions of a particular political
party or political person.
(2) In this regulation:
political person means any of the following persons:
(a) a person who holds an elected office in the Federal
Parliament, the Legislative Assembly or a local government;
(b) a person who seeks election to an office mentioned in
paragraph (a).
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ENDNOTES
Public Information Regulations 2017 3
ENDNOTES
1 KEY Key to abbreviations
amd = amended od = order
app = appendix om = omitted
bl = by-law pt = Part
ch = Chapter r = regulation/rule
cl = clause rem = remainder
div = Division renum = renumbered
exp = expires/expired rep = repealed
f = forms s = section
Gaz = Gazette sch = Schedule
hdg = heading sdiv = Subdivision
ins = inserted SL = Subordinate Legislation
lt = long title sub = substituted
nc = not commenced
2 LIST OF LEGISLATION
Public Information Regulations (SL No. 1, 2017)
Notified 14 February 2017
Commenced 14 February 2017 (r 2, s 2 Public Information Amendment
Act 2016 (Act No. 34, 2016) and Gaz S2, 14 February 2017,
p 2)
Public Information Legislation Amendment Act 2019 (Act No. 14, 2019)
Notified 9 April 2019
Commenced 10 April 2019
Public Information Amendment Act 2025 (Act No. 18, 2025)
Assent date 10 August 2025
Commenced 11 August 2025 (s 2)
3 GENERAL AMENDMENTS
General amendments of a formal nature (which are not referred to in the table
of amendments to this reprint) are made by the Interpretation Legislation
Amendment Act 2018 (Act No. 22 of 2018) to: r 1.
4 LIST OF AMENDMENTS
pt 1 hdg om Act No. 18, 2025, s 7
pt 2 hdg om Act No. 18, 2025, s 7
r 3 sub Act No. 14, 2019, s 6
amd Act No. 18, 2025, s 7
r 4 rep Act No. 14, 2019, s 6
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