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Published today on the AUSLAW BLOG: 11/07/2017   /   AUSPUBLAW   /   0 COMMENTS BY   PETER TIMMINS The voters aren’t happy. While there is no single antidote for this winter of discontent, the way government governs is a contributing factor. The government tells us that belief in democracy is a shared Australian value and as part of a new approach to citizenship for those who seek to join us, that newcomers will be tested to demonstrate their commitment. Yet forty per cent of Australians   are not satisfied   with the way democracy is working. Only five per cent trust government. And   the majority of Australians   think their politicians are corrupt. Calls for reform   propose steps to make decision-making more transparent and politicians more accountable for their actions; for politicians to get serious about cleaning up public life; and for more collaboration between government and citizens in policymaking, regulation and operational ...

Debate in the Senate on Senator Ludwig's Private Member's Bill the Freedom of Information Amendment (Requests and Reasons) Bill 2015 resumed for an hour last Thursday and the bill is in the list again for 3 December.  Speakers didn't add much to what was said in June , except that Senator Xenophon was the first cross bencher to speak in support.  Government senators spoke in opposition to the bill so it won't get far in the House even if Labor, The Greens and six of eight cross benchers manage to get it through the Senate.  Senator Seselja and Liberal and National Party speakers rolled out this sort of stuff before getting into the detail I, along with the coalition government, support the Freedom of Information Act and support transparency in government. It is one of our country's greatest strengths that we ensure the decisions of government are put under scrutiny and, where possible, are out in the open. This government has a strong record over the last two ye...

Australia's fence sitting on where it stands on the Open Government Partnership continues to attract international interest. Included in commentary by Toby McIntosh in Washington last week was the response from the Department of Finance to the news, as McIntosh puts it, "that the OGP Steering Committee recently gave Australia until the end of October to indicate its intention to be an active member, or to join Russia as an OGP drop-out": “The Australian Government is positively inclined towards joining the Open Government Partnership but has yet to make a final decision,” the official said, adding, “The Government intends to form a view as soon as possible and will take as long as necessary.” As McIntosh received a response and having asked twice in recent weeks without success for answers from the Minister's office, this prompted me to try again, running these questions past the Media Centre: Has the government responded to the OGP Support Unit following repor...