Title: Open access and information management in Australia: vol. 1

Authors: Nikos Koutras; Hien Nguyen

Addresses: Curtin University, Bentley 6102, Western Australia ' Curtin University, Bentley 6102, Western Australia

Abstract: In Australia, open access (OA) policies and practices increasingly shape information-management governance across the public and private sectors. This article develops a conceptual framework that links OA policy instruments, formal and informal actors, and information-management processes to governance outcomes, including accessibility, efficiency, and equity. Drawing on mixed-methods evidence from a targeted stakeholder survey and policy analysis, the article examines how these relationships operate in practice and where gaps persist. The findings indicate that while funder and institutional OA policies have significantly improved the availability of research outputs, challenges remain in compliance monitoring, repository workflows, accessibility for users with disabilities, and equitable funding models. The article advances policy and practice recommendations for a nationally coherent OA-information-governance pathway, including rights-retention strategies, repository federation and interoperability, compliance dashboards, accessibility standards, and support for diamond OA. It concludes that aligning OA objectives with existing information-governance mechanisms can deliver durable, system-level benefits.

Keywords: open access; information; management; Australia; governance.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIPM.2026.155262

International Journal of Intellectual Property Management, 2026 Vol.16 No.4, pp.401 - 411

Received: 27 Feb 2025
Accepted: 14 Sep 2025
Published online: 29 Jul 2026 *

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