Appointment of the Australian Information Commissioner – Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Ms Elizabeth Tydd as the Australian Information Commissioner and head of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

Ms Tydd is the current Freedom of Information Commissioner at the OAIC and was selected as Australian Information Commissioner through a merit-based selection process. Ms Tydd brings a wealth of experience and is well-placed to lead the agency. Ms Tydd's five-year appointment as the Australian Information Commissioner will commence on 16 August 2024, following the conclusion of Ms Angelene Falk’s term on 15 August 2024.

The OAIC is an independent Australian Government agency established under the Australian Information Commissioner Act 2010 as our national privacy and information regulator.

As head of the OAIC, the Australian Information Commissioner is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the agency and for its performance and corporate functions.

I also express my thanks to Ms Falk for her service as the Australian Information Commissioner since 2018 and as Privacy Commissioner from 2018 to February 2024. I commend Ms Falk on the significant contribution she has made in these roles.

The Government will shortly commence arrangements to fill the position of FOI Commissioner through a through a transparent and merit-based selection process.

For information about the OAIC, including the role of the Australian Information Commissioner, visit OAIC.

Biography

Elizabeth Tydd is the current Freedom of Information Commissioner at the OAIC. Prior to this she served as the Information Commissioner and CEO of the NSW Information and Privacy Commission from 2013. She was the Executive Director, Office of Liquor Gaming and Racing, Department of Communities from 2009 to 2013. Between 1997 and 2009, Ms Tydd held a number of senior roles at the New South Wales Department of Fair Trading including Assistant Commissioner, Compliance and Legal Group and Deputy Chairperson, Consumer Trade and Tenancy Tribunal. Ms Tydd holds a Bachelor of Laws and Master of Laws from the University of Technology, Sydney.