Senator incensed by Govt's FoI stance - The Canberra Times

Senator incensed by Govt's FoI stance

BY ROSS PEAKE

22/09/2008 12:00:00 AM

The Rudd Government will be challenged this week on why it is following the Howard government's example in blocking Freedom of Information requests.

Greens senator Christine Milne said yesterday the Labor administration's attitude was as bad as that taken by the former government.

Senator Milne is incensed that her requests have been blocked recently, the Government citing precedents set by the Howard government. ''I will be moving in the Senate this week for an explanation from the Government as to what Senator [John] Faulkner, the Special Minister of State, meant with his previous remarks when he promised a complete review of FoI,'' she said.

''Where is the new area of transparency? What we are seeing from the Rudd Government is exactly the same as what we got from the Howard government.

''It is using obfuscation and price as a way of preventing people getting access to the information they need in the public interest.''

 

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