Alice Linacre PSM has been appointed as Australia’s freedom of information Commissioner for a five-year term, commencing on 29 September 2025, following the conclusion of Commissioner Toni Pirani’s tenure.
Welcoming the decision, Australian Information Commissioner Elizabeth Tydd said: “Ms Linacre brings notable expertise to the role of FOI Commissioner in the law, administrative decision making, service delivery and a breadth of public sector leadership. The Australian Public Sector and the community will derive great benefit from this appointment and I am very much looking forward to working with Ms Linacre in this critical role.
“I also thank Commissioner Pirani for her significant service to the OAIC and the Australian community throughout her time as FOI Commissioner. I have been very grateful for her leadership, productivity and abiding commitment to delivering this important human right.
“The continuation of the three-Commissioner model within the OAIC will ensure that information governance rights are better secured and effectively advanced for the Australian community. Supported by my fellow Commissioners and dedicated staff within the OAIC we will continue to play a critical role in building public trust and confidence in both our democratic system of government and our economy.
Ms Linacre is currently First Assistant Secretary, Courts and Commercial Division, at the Attorney-General’s Department, and has held senior legal practitioner roles across the Commonwealth public service. In 2022, she received the Public Service Medal for her work delivering and managing legal services and resources that supported the government’s response to critical events, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
