The Wire

The Federal Shadow Attorney General, Nicola Roxon, has introduced a private member’s bill that would turn the Freedom of Information legislation on its head. While the media have been complaining about an ever-growing culture of secrecy within governmental departments, politicians have been silent on the issue, with critics claiming they have an interest in keeping some information away from public scrutiny. Nicola Roxon’s bill intends to abolish the use of conclusive certificates from the Act, and improve FOI’s operation, in a bid to hold governments to greater accountability. These certificates enable ministers to decide whether information should be available to the public, or remain behind closed doors. In the past, both Liberal and Labour government have been responsible for leading a less then enlightened information regime, but now Ms Roxon says that it’s time for a change.