FOI amendment bill. A transparency counter-revolution.

The biggest attack on government transparency has been launched by Labour’s FOI change Bill 2025 on the table. Transparent warrior Rex Patrick Reports.

Freedom of knowledge (FOI) is the only way to ask directly what your government is doing on your behalf. A right given to you by Parliament in 1982. In his decision of the 2008 Supreme Court, Justice Kirby said:

“[The FOI Act] He attaches great importance to the interests of the public for more openness and transparency in public administration. Considering the historical background, the attitude of the ministers, departments, agencies and public services is nothing more than the revolutionary. “

The Foi bill, which is discussed in parliament today, is nothing more than an Albanian counter-revolution,

Eliminates the rights of citizens to access important information.

As often mentioned to these pages, the current FOI regime does not work well. The recommended changes will not help.

Congratulations for Senator @Davidpocock A question that I have seen for a long time is the most real (and appropriate) reaction to the answer to the time answer. #Foi #auspol pic.twitter.com/wfh8p5t01o

– Rex Patrick (@mrrexpatrick) 2 September 2025

All important information to be exempted

The current FOI law limits the cabinet exemptions with the material that will explain the difference of opinion between the ministers; In 1993, Commonwealth V was announced in the case of the North Council Supreme Council, cabinet privacy protects collective responsibility and cabinet solidarity.

It should never be a secret that the cabinet is dealing with a particular subject, but only every minister’s views on politics, so that we trust the government.

Currently, you can request and access the ministry summaries on important issues – not the ministers of the briefings, but revealing the views of the departments.

The changes in the new invoice significantly change this situation, try to maintain collective responsibility and cabinet solidarity, rather any problem of the cabinet. And of course, the cabinet only deals with big problems, so the proposed law will stop access to any document that deals with major problems.

The draft waters the cabinet exemption from a document with a document with a document with a significant purpose purpose of the cabin, cabin, cabinet. Words are counted as a court or court.

The bill also adds more exemptions to the words spoken in the cabinet by adding more exemptions to the words.

If the law passes, you will be able to access information about a fence built around a federal building (assuming that the cabinet does not take this into consideration), but you cannot provide information about a national highway built to access it.

Transparency. Is Labour’s majority of the government a reality threat in the government?

Summary dismissal

The bill allows an official not to call a document if there is a clearly exempt document ”.

This may contain an alleged cabinet certificate or legal advice. I cannot count that a FOI decision maker thinks that a document is a cabinet certificate, not only the information commissioner does not appeal.

No name, please

The bill also suggests that FOI decision makers will not be named. In accordance with Chapter 11 of the FOI Law, access to government documents is a right. The government wants it, so when your right is removed from you, the person who takes it out will not be known.

This may be the reason for the authorities to usually make decisions wrong.

Failure to name them protects them from their own inadequacies.

Controversial issues are not allowed

The Public Service Law requires all public officials to give the best advice to senior officials and ministers; Always!

The proposed laws will prohibit the disclosure of the public officials’ recommendations if public officials cause violating the law. Although this is disclosed, the FOI (or at the request of the court subpoena or general auditor or on the request of the parliament) is revealed, rather than reminding the obligations of the Public Service Law.

As it is now, the FOI law lives in harmony with the Public Service Law.

What the proposed law does is exempt from the public’s release of anything controversial.

Blame

It wasn’t bad enough, you’ll be accused of making a fo. And if a public official makes a bad decision, you will be re -loaded for the examination of the decision. This is true, they make the mistake and you will pay.

Very few judicial powers in Australia receive a fee for a review, but even those who pay back to you if the decision is changed. There is no plan for this in the federal area.

Timelyness

FOI requests are never handled in time. Instead of trying to correct this with appropriate resources, he suggested to extend invoice transaction times from 30 days to 30 working days and then gives the agencies a series of new ways to extend their trading times.

Although the working days are a little reasonable approach, they use 20 days in NSW, where this approach is taken.

Two steps backwards

There is nothing good for the public in this bill. Nothing. This should be mentioned in the context of a FOI regime that does not achieve its goals today. Only these laws will worse if they pass.

In the 1998 Supreme Court Egan V Willis case, the Court’s three judgments said FOI supports our responsible government system. While the Albanian government is trying to participate in the democracy and examination of its government, it seems to have overlooked it.

During the Pandemi, I took Prime Minister Scott Morrison after he wrapped the Privacy Blanket on the National Cabinet. In total, he made decisions about the freedom and freedom of the Australians. This war was won.

If the FOI change passes through Bill 2025 parliament, things will be worse. Any important or controversial issue taken into consideration by the government will be immune to your curious eyes. How is this for transparency?

Prime Minister Albania promised to increase the transparency of the government while in the opposition.

Now that he’s on the government, he’s trying to seriously restrict him.

Apparently, transparency is a word shouted only from the opposition banks. I hope the opposition, the greens and the independents will stop this terrible bill.

Delay, denial, defend. FOI process is broken