LLB230 Lecture 5: Week Five
Document Summary
Giving reasons: statutory duty, cl duty. Enacted in 1982 (freedom of information act 1982(cth)) Government transparency and accountability: less secrecy, understand how/why decisions were made and consider whether they can be challenged. Information is a national resource foi act (cth) s 3 objects. Public participation in government process: inform the public knowledge is power, public scrutiny to judge policy/decisions need access to info, increased participation representative democracy foi act (cth) s 3, better service/governance. Access to personal information opportunity to correct the record. Time involved in finding docs diverts agency resources. 1: censorship care in what is put on the record", less frankness prevents free flow of ideas. Can the documents be accessed without having to go through the foi legislation. E. g: government websites, public registers e. g. asic. Can the documents be requested under the foi legislation: pro-disclosure approach, which legislation is relevant, cth foi act 1982 (cth, government information (public access) act 2010 (nsw)
