FOI changes thwarted
Thanks to all our supporters who emailed and phoned the State opposition members and the Attorney General. The Brumby Government’s plans to make the Freedom of Information laws ineffective by overhauling the Act, were voted out! The Liberals, Nationals and Greens used their numbers to vote against the controversial bill (the DLP voted with the government). Attorney General and Deputy Premier, Rob Hulls, was the sponsor of the FOI Bill. He’s been a true-blue fan of the FOI legislation in the past. Check this out:
The second-best way to abolish Freedom Of Information legislation is to slowly chip away at it – to slowly pull it apart piece by piece, clause by clause and word by word. That is exactly what the government has done since it came to office. From the start of the Kennett government’s term in office it decided that it did not want to be scrutinised by Victorians, Parliament or the opposition. The Kennett government has slowly ripped apart Freedom Of Information.
Rob Hulls, 27 May 1999
Then almost nine years later when he tries the same swiftie, Rob Hulls accused the Liberals and Nationals of being the parties that would be remembered for denying easier and cheaper access to FOI. However the Law Institute didn’t think Rob Hulls’ changes would make it easier, but would have “unfairly prevent access to information that is vital to the public’s interest”.