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Monday, April 06, 2009

ACT on the FOI reform bandwagon

The Australian Capital Territory is the latest to join the Australian Freedom of Information review rush following a decision last week by the Legislative Assembly to ask the Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety to conduct an inquiry into the 1989 Act. The ACT Act is basically THE Commonwealth Act and the movement at the station there would prompt re-examination in any event, but an inquiry was also part of the deal for support by The Greens for the formation of an ALP minority government after last year's election. It's also been an issue the Liberals' Vicki Dunne has pursued for years. Sweet for Dunne, who has had some celebrated battles with the Stanhope governments over FOI, and who moved the motion to set up the inquiry- only to have a series of amendments added that string the terms of reference out to three pages of detail (and "any other relevant matter" to boot)-that she ends up in the chair.

Details here.Thanks to Ray Polglaze for the heads up.

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