Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Swan denies blocking FOI request (Aus)

Swan denies blocking FOI request

Posted Sun May 4, 2008 6:01pm AEST
Updated Sun May 4, 2008 6:05pm AEST

Not me: The Treasurer has blamed his department for blocking a request under Freedom of Information laws. (File photo)

Not me: The Treasurer has blamed his department for blocking a request under Freedom of Information laws. (File photo) (ABC News: Damien Larkins)

Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan has distanced himself from his department's decision to reject a Freedom of Information (FOI) request on the impact of Labor's workplace laws.

The Government last week blocked the release of Treasury advice on whether its industrial relations policies will push up inflation.

The FOI request was made by the ABC.

Mr Swan says a decision to release only limited information was made by a bureaucrat.

"Those decisions are taken by decision-makers in the department, not by me as the Minister," he said.

"But I don't think the ABC or any other media organisation would want Wayne Swan as the Minister going into the department and telling them what they should release, or not release, under the current law."