It May Pay To Know

Opinion Piece - Andrew Willcox

Right now, any Australian can submit a simple request to access non sensitive information from any Australian government agency. We can ask who a minister or government officials has met, what was discussed, and the reasoning behind government decisions. This is a vital lever for holding the government accountable and right now it doesn’t cost a cent to ask the question.

But the Labor government wants to water down these protections, restricting what information the public can request and charging fees to access it. It’s not just a bad look. It raises serious questions about what they’re trying to hide.

Australia’s Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) guarantees public access to government held documents, promoting transparency, accountability, and democratic participation. With the exception of truly sensitive material like national security, personal privacy, or commercial confidentiality, Australia’s Freedom of Information Act allows the public to know what the government is up to. It is how a healthy democracy operates, allowing citizens to scrutinize their leaders without barriers.

So why change a system that already protects sensitive information?

In campaigning during the 2022 election, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged to lead a more transparent government. Yet now his government is pushing for legislation that would dramatically limit public access to information. I ask why. What secrets does Labor want to keep? What does the government fear the public might discover? Or is the government planning to do something they don’t want anyone knowing about?

The proposed changes were introduced in the last parliamentary sitting week by Attorney General Michelle Rowland. The government proposal would allow government agencies to outright reject requests they claim are too resource intensive. This is a thinly veiled excuse to dodge scrutiny, and it will disproportionately impact journalists, advocacy groups, and concerned citizens seeking the truth on matters of public interest.

Adding insult to injury, the government wants to slap upfront fees on such requests. This creates a paywall for transparency, effectively barring those without resources from accessing vital information. Transparency should not come with a price tag.

The government defends these changes by citing misuse of the system and national security risks, including concerns about anonymous foreign actors submitting requests. But these arguments don’t stack up. Sensitive information is already exempt, and requests of a government agency requires identifying details, preventing anonymous fishing expeditions.

As a Federal Member, I have zero concerned about people knowing who I had coffee with last Tuesday at 11am, let alone a meeting that has public interest. I believe the public has every right to know who ministers meet with and why, especially if those meetings involve parties that stand to benefit from government decisions. The public deserves to know how taxpayer money is being spent and what influences shape political choices.

We should be strengthening transparency, not dismantling it. Our country has always believed in government actions being open to public scrutiny, not hidden behind fees and bureaucratic barriers.

I stand firmly against Labor’s proposed changes. Australians deserve a government that respects the right to know. Keep Freedom of Information free and accessible to keep government open, transparent and accountable.

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