Application fees will be abolished and a new Freedom of Information umpire will be created under sweeping changes to Freedom of Information laws announced by the Rudd Government today.

The biggest changes to the FOI Act since it was passed in 1982 are designed to make it far easier for people to get hold of government information and to force government departments routinely to publish information now kept secret.

An information commissioner's office will be created and an FOI commissioner will act as an independent monitor for the new laws under the changes.

The office of information commissioner is borrowed from overseas models, which have been far more successful in getting governments to release sensitive information.

When governments refuse to disclose information, applicants will have the right to complain to the FOI commissioner, who will have the power to order the release of documents.