Media union urges government to save freedom of information watchdog
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Version 0 of 1. Australia’s Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) has urged the federal government to drop its plans to abolish the country’s freedom of information and privacy watchdog. MEAA chief executive, Paul Murphy told Guardian Australia the plan to abolish the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) should be dropped. He said discussions should take place on how to improve the freedom of information system. Related: 'Governments do not like freedom of information': the war on Australia's privacy and information watchdog The government first announced plans to abolish the OAIC in May 2014, and introduced a bill to parliament in October 2014 to abolish its freedom of information functions and move the privacy roles it played into the Australian Human Rights Commission. But the government failed to gain Senate support, with Labor, the Greens and a number of crossbench senators all publicly opposing the bill. Murphy said: “The bill should be withdrawn. With a new direction what we’re hoping for from the federal government is some discussions with all the stakeholders to see how we can improve the system of freedom of information federally.” He said the direction in government appeared to be increasingly towards secrecy, rather than open and transparent government. His comments echo similar remarks by the former Australian information commissioner John McMillan, who told Guardian Australia there was contempt in government for the role of freedom of information. Related: Hypocritical politicians 'hate' freedom of information, says former commissioner Murphy added: “What we’re observing here fits in with the general climate where the default position appears to be secrecy. Government agencies are trying to avoid information going into the public domain, which is the opposite of how a democratic society should function.” He said Malcolm Turnbull had demonstrated a commitment to aspects of open government, and he hoped the government would reconsider its plans. The OAIC has been continuing to function now for over a year since the bill to abolish it was introduced to parliament. The privacy commissioner Timothy Pilgrim was appointed acting information commissioner following the departure of McMillan While the government could pass the bill if it had Senate support, five of the eight crossbench senators have indicated they oppose the bill. Independent senator Nick Xenophon, Liberal Democratic party senator David Leyonhjelm, Family First senator Bob Day and independent senator John Madigan all oppose the bill. A spokesman for Palmer United Party senator Dio Wang subsequently also said the senator did not support abolishing the OAIC. |