World Bank: "Information Commissions play a crucial role in guaranteeing the right to information"

As the Australian Government moves to abolish the position of Australian Information Commissioner (I hear that a vote on the FOI amendment bill is likely to be deferred from today Thursday to next week, the final week of sittings for the year) and continues to consider whether to proceed or not proceed with a notice of intention to join the Open Government Partnership, Jeff Thindwa, Practice Manager Governance and Inclusive Institutions at the World Bank, writes about the importance of both outlining how accountability institutions such as Information Commissions "play a fundamental role in advancing government openness" and initiatives "such as the Open Government Partnership should deepen engagement with them." 

Presumably the Executive Director for Australia at the World Bank in Washington is happy about the support the Bank gives to "the strengthening of Information Commissions for effective access to information legislation implementation.." 

Meanwhile in Canberra....