I'll end secrecy: Rudd

Kevin Rudd ... calls for a change.

Photo: Glen Mccurtayne

I think the Australian public are mindful that when mistakes are made as long as you are upfront about it and tell people that things have been done wrongly that's ok

November 21, 2007 - 3:51PM

Labor leader Kevin Rudd has pledged to end the culture of secrecy he claims has been a hallmark of the Howard government, describing it as a cancer eating away at the function of democracy.

Mr Rudd believes any decent government need not fear making mistakes every now and then, as long as it's willing to explain itself.

He highlighted the children overboard saga, the failed case against Mohamed Haneef and the suppression of documents outlining possible further industrial changes as some of the worst examples from the Howard years.

Mr Rudd said there was a culture of secrecy within the current government and it went to the very heart of everything that was wrong with it.

"I think there's been a bit of a cancer at work in recent years,'' he told the National Press Club today.

"I go back particularly to that disgraceful saga called 'kids overboard', there is a challenge for us all to make sure that we have proper processes of external accountability.''

Among the changes Labor is promising to make is to be more open with freedom of information requests by ending conclusive certificates and making ministerial staff - if they have a exercised executive power - accountable to parliamentary committees.

Mr Rudd committed that he or one of his ministers would brief the media after cabinet meetings if Labor won government.

He flagged the release of a code of ministerial conduct before election day.

Mr Rudd acknowledged it was easy to make promises from opposition - while it was harder to keep them once in government.

"I know that's very easy to say from opposition because you're not in government and then when the heat's on you, it all seems different,'' he said.

"But if you're running a decent government you shouldn't fear these things.

"I think the Australian public are mindful that when mistakes are made as long as you are upfront about it and tell people that things have been done wrongly that's ok.''

In terms of the way he would govern, the Labor leader indicated he preferred to be fully informed about an issue before making commitments that would be difficult to follow through.

"I have an inherent distaste for grandiose, rhetorical statements which don't have any substantive dimension to them,'' Mr Rudd said.

"I believe any plan is not worth the paper it's written on unless you are serious about the mechanics of its implementation and how to measure that. "To me that's really important.''

AAP

Pasted from <http://www.smh.com.au/news/federal-election-2007-news/ill-end-secrecy-rudd/2007/11/21/1195321837158.html>