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 < Back Open Government - Premier’s Department says “No Thanks” August 28th 2003 - Dr Chesterfield-Evans MLC today said that a blistering attack on the NSW Audit Office by the Premier’s Department has confirmed that the Carr Government is not interested in Open Government in NSW. “This Government wants no scrutiny and wants to release no information to the public about anything” Dr Chesterfield-Evans comments follow the release of a NSW Auditor-General’s Report on the Government’s handling of Freedom of Information requests. “The Audit Office confirmed what we all know, and that is the decisions to not release information are arbitrary, responses to requests are often slow and the cost charges are inconsistent ” “This is a Government that has been in power too long and shows scant regard for the rights of its citizens. We have the right to know what the government is doing with our money” Dr Chesterfield-Evans also said that the report confirms that the present FOI laws are too easily circumvented by Government Departments and should be changed. “I introduced an Open Government bill last year that passed through the Upper House has been referred to the Public Accounts Committee for examination. I also intend to introduce a new bill in this current parliamentary session that will make all documents publicly available as a matter of course. “If the Premier really believes in open government then he would support my bill” Dr Chesterfield-Evans concluded. |
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updated:
October 31, 2003
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