Page 1756 - Week 05 - Thursday, 2 April 2009
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I think that it is useful to look at other more open approaches in other jurisdictions and I think that that term of reference is particularly useful in that regard.
I understand that the Speaker has amendments as well, which we have discussed and are happy to support.
Generally speaking, I think that it is has been the belief of the Canberra Liberals that thorough-going change in the Freedom of Information Act is long overdue. It has been notionally on the agenda of the Labor Party in the ACT since 2001 but nothing has happened with it. I think that this is an important step, a step being taken by the Canberra Liberals, to make sure that we do actually have a thorough reform of the Freedom of Information Act. I am happy to sponsor this and I look forward to the support of the Assembly.
MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Attorney-General, Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Water, Minister for Energy and Minister for Police and Emergency Services) (10.41), by leave: I move:
(1) insert new paragraph (1A):
“(1A) The Committee shall have regard to the following:
(a) that access to information is an essential right of every person. Under the Territory’s Human Rights Act 2004, freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas is part of the right of freedom of expression;
(b) that access to government information is fundamental to openness, transparency and accountability in government, but that disclosure of particular information may have a prejudicial effect on private or public interests;
(c) that the Freedom of Information Act 1989 (the Act) seeks to achieve a balance between these competing interests. However, the FOI Act is now 20 years old and there have been significant changes in that time in the way Government creates, holds and stores information. It is timely to review the Act and its operation;
(d) that the Act is modelled on the Commonwealth Freedom of Information Act 1982, which is currently under review and reform by the Commonwealth Government. To consider the implications of changes in the Commonwealth on the Territory’s FOI regime;
(e) that open and transparent government is the goal of freedom of information legislation. That it is timely to reassess this goal by seeking to improve accessibly to government documents and reduce the time and costs involved in accessing government information; and
(f) that considerable work has been undertaken by the Queensland FOI Independent Review Panel which is of potential applicability to ACT legislation;”.
(2) Renumber existing paragraph “(1)” as paragraph “(2)”.
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