Labor makes a 10 minute hit on culture of secrecy, government speakers stay mum
In the House of Representatives yesterday Alannah Mactiernan (Perth, ALP) moved: That this House: (1) expresses concern at the culture of secrecy prevalent in the Government and the serious undermining of the core principles enshrined in the freedom of information legislation; (2) notes the Government has: (a) defunded the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) despite failing to pass its legislation to abolish the office; and (b) failed to advance Australia's application for the Open Government Partnership (OGP); and (3) calls on the Government to abandon its attack on the OAIC and provide it with proper funding, and recommit to joining the OGP. The motion didn't get far in the 10 minutes allocated before debate was adjourned with Mactiernan and L abor Party colleague Graham Perrett the only speakers. Could the lack of interest or appetite on government benches to contest the argument suggest a decision not to waste time defending the indefensible while re...