RIGHT TO KNOW: Open government a battle all over the globe
RIGHT TO KNOW: Open government a battle all over the globe
The Sydney Morning Herald in Australia recently carried an article in which New South Wales' ombudsman is conducting an unprecedented review of the state's Freedom of Information Act after the government repeatedly failed to conduct an independent review to ensure that government remains transparent.
There's apparently been long-term, widespread frustration with the current outdated FOI Act. The ombudsman's request also coincides with the Sydney Morning Herald's battles with police over the release of the names of pubs and clubs most linked to alcohol-related crime.
As evidence that the government has been increasingly shutting down public access, the ombudsman reported that the percentage of Freedom of Information Law applications honored in full dropped from 81 percent in 1995-96 to about 52 percent in 2005-06.
In support of the changes, a political party official criticized the Morris Iemma administration for "enjoying the spoils of a secret state" by not reviewing the outdated public access laws and changing the government's anti-access practices.
Restricted access to government is something we all have to guard against. It's nice to know that people in other countries are as vigilant and persistent in their pursuit of open government as some of the citizens in our country are.
– Mark Mahoney
Posts
