Information Commissioner Angelene Falk said Leo Hardiman's appointment, which would begin April 19, was the next step in rehabilitating the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

The Freedom of Information Commissioner role has been empty since the Abbott government reduced the size of the commission in 2015.

Mr Hardiman has worked in the public service for more than 30 years advising Commonwealth government agencies and ministers of their responsibilities, powers and functions under law.

He was previously with the Australian Government Solicitor, the Australian Taxation Office and the Department of Employment and Workplace.

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Mr Hardiman was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2020 for "outstanding public service through the provision of legal services to the Commonwealth".

Ms Falk told a Senate estimates committee in May that about half of freedom of information requests had been with the office for more than 12 months, and at least a fifth had been in the queue for more than two years.

Ms Falk told the committee the appointment of a commissioner would be a way to relieve the backlog.

In a statement on Tuesday, Ms Falk said, "We look forward to welcoming Mr Hardiman to the OAIC and advancing the important work to promote public access to information held by Australian government agencies and minister."

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