Footnotes

Chapter 1 - Introduction

[1]        The Special Minister of State and Cabinet Secretary, Senator the Hon John Faulkner, Second Reading Speech, Senate Hansard, 26 November 2008, p.7293.

[2]        Freedom of Information (Removal of Conclusive Certificates and Other Measures) Bill 2008, Explanatory Memorandum, pp 1–2.

[3]        Freedom of Information (Removal of Conclusive Certificates and Other Measures) Bill 2008, Explanatory Memorandum, p.3.

[4]        The Special Minister of State and Cabinet Secretary, Senator the Hon John Faulkner, Second Reading Speech, Senate Hansard, 26 November 2008, p.7293.

Chapter 2 - Freedom of Information

[1]        Article 19, The Public's Right to Know, Principles of Freedom of Information Legislation, International Standards Series, London, June 1999, p.1.

[2]        Privacy International, Freedom of Information Around the World 2006, A Global Survey of Access to Government Information Laws, 2006, p.6, http://www.privacyinternational.org/foi/foisurvey2006.pdf (Accessed 9 December 2008).

[3]        Australian Law Reform Commission and Administrative Review Council, Open government: a review of the federal Freedom of Information Act 1982, 1995, p.12.

[4]        Australian Law Reform Commission and Administrative Review Council, Open government: a review of the federal Freedom of Information Act 1982, 1995, p.12.

[5]        Australia's Right to Know, Report of the Independent Audit into the State of Free Speech in Australia, 31 October 2007, p.93.

[6]        Commonwealth Ombudsman, Scrutinising government, Administration of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 in Australian Government Agencies, March 2006, p.2.

[7]        Professor John McMillan, Commonwealth Ombudsman, 'The FOI Landscape after McKinnon', Public Administration Today, Speech, April–June 2007, p.45.

[8]        Australia's Right to Know, Report of the Independent Audit into the State of Free Speech in Australia, 31 October 2007, p.94.

[9]        Commonwealth Ombudsman, Scrutinising government, Administration of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 in Australian Government Agencies, March 2006, p.9.

[10]      Attorney-General's Department, Freedom of Information Act 1982 Annual Report 2006-07, October 2007, p.2.

[11]      Attorney-General's Department, Freedom of Information Act 1982 Annual Report 2007-08, October 2008, p.2.

[12]      Attorney-General's Department, Freedom of Information Act 1982 Annual Report 2007-08, October 2008, p.3.

[13]      Attorney-General's Department, Freedom of Information Act 1982 Annual Report 2007-08, October 2008, p.3.

[14]      Australia's Right to Know, Report of the Independent Audit into the State of Free Speech in Australia, 31 October 2007, p.96.

[15]      Attorney-General's Department, Freedom of Information Act 1982 Annual Report 2007-08, October 2008. p.3.

[16]      Attorney-General's Department, Freedom of Information Act 1982 Annual Report 2007-08, October 2008. p.4.

[17]      Attorney-General's Department, Freedom of Information Act 1982 Annual Report 2007-08, October 2008, p.5.

[18]      Attorney-General's Department, Freedom of Information Act 1982 Annual Report 2007-08, October 2008, p.6.

[19]      Section 3(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 1982.

[20]      Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, General Description of the Freedom of Information Act 1982, http://www.pmc.gov.au/foi/about_act.cfm, last updated 21 May 2008, (Accessed 4 December 2008).

[21]      Australia's Right to Know, Report of the Independent Audit into the State of Free Speech in Australia, 31 October 2007, p.93.

[22]      Commonwealth Ombudsman, Annual Report 2007–2008, p.114.

[23]      Senate Standing Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs, Report by the Senate Standing Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs on the Freedom of Information Bill 1978, and aspects of the Archives Bill 1978, 1979, pp 21–22.

[24]      Transparency International, Overview of Freedom of Information in Australia, undated, http://www.transparency.org.au/documents/FOI_Summary_Information_06_10.pdf (Accessed 5 December 2008).

[25]      Mr Rick Snell, 'Three quick steps to bring FOI laws into the age of enlightenment', The Australia, 28.9.07, p.37.

[26]      Mr Jack Herman and Ms Inez Ryan, 'The urgent need for reform of Freedom of Information in Australia', Freedom of Information Review, Number 114, December 2004, p.62.

[27]      Australian Law Reform Commission and Administrative Review Council, Open government: a review of the federal Freedom of Information Act 1982, 1995, p.91.

[28]      Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, General Description of the Freedom of Information Act 1982, http://www.pmc.gov.au/foi/about_act.cfm, last updated 21 May 2008, (Accessed 4 December 2008).

[29]      Part IV, Exempt Documents of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 provides a list of all exempt documents under the Act.

[30]      Australia's Right to Know, Report of the Independent Audit into the State of Free Speech in Australia, 31 October 2007, p.vi.

[31]      Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, General Description of the Freedom of Information Act 1982, http://www.pmc.gov.au/foi/about_act.cfm, last updated 21 May 2008, (Accessed 4 December 2008).

[32]      Australian Law Reform Commission and Administrative Review Council, Open government: a review of the federal Freedom of Information Act 1982, 1995, pp 98–99.

[33]      Australian Law Reform Commission and Administrative Review Council, Open government: a review of the federal Freedom of Information Act 1982, 1995, p.100.

[34]      See for example, Ms Jane Woodward, Trans-Tasman Freedom of Information, Honours Thesis, ANU, 10 June 2008, p.13, http://ricksnell.com.au/resources/WoodwardThesisFOIAusNZ2008.pdf (Accessed 8 December 2008).

[35]      Australia's Right to Know, Report of the Independent Audit into the State of Free Speech in Australia, 31 October 2007, p.vi, http://www.smh.com.au/pdf/foIreport5.pdf, (Accessed 23 January 2009). 

[36]      Transparency International, Overview of Freedom of Information in Australia, undated, p.3.

[37]      Professor John McMillan Commonwealth Ombudsman, 'The FOI Landscape after McKinnon', Speech, Public Administration Today, April – June 2007, p. 43.

[38]      Senator the Hon. John Faulkner, Special Minister of State and Cabinet Secretary, Second Reading Speech, Senate Hansard, 26.11.08, p.1.

[39]      Mr Rick Snell, 'Conclusive or ministerial certificates – an almost invisible blight in FoI practice', Freedom of Information Review, Number 109, February 2004, p.9.

[40]      Senate Standing Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs, Report by the Senate Standing Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs on the Freedom of Information Bill 1978, and aspects of the Archives Bill 1978, 1979, p.180, paragraph 15.20.

[41]      Australia's Right to Know, Submission 1, p.2.

[42]      Law Council of Australia, Submission 9, p.1.

Chapter 3 - Proposed changes to the Freedom of Information Act 1982

[1]        Senator the Hon. John Faulkner, Special Minister of State, Abolition of Conclusive Certificates, Media Release 33/2008, 26 November 2008, http://www.smos.gov.au/media/2008/mr_332008.html (Accessed 2 February 2009).

[2]        Mr Matthew Moore, 'All talk, little action from Rudd so far', Sydney Morning Herald, 29.11.08, p.42.

[3]        Mr Rick Snell, Submission 7, p.1.

[4]        Mr Michael McKinnon, Committee Hansard, 12.02.09, p.1.

[5]        Australia's Right to Know, Submission 1, p.2.

[6]        Australian Press Council, Submission 3, p.3.

[7]        These include the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, Office of National Assessments, Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation, Defence Intelligence Organisation, and the Defence Signals Directorate.

[8]        Public Interest Advocacy Centre Inc, Submission 2, p.2. See also Mr Rick Snell, Submission 7, p.2 and Australian Press Council, Submission 3, p.4.

[9]        Associate Professor Moira Paterson, Submission 8, p.2.

[10]      Public Interest Advocacy Centre Inc, Submission 2, p.2.

[11]      Public Interest Advocacy Centre, Submission 2, pp 2–3.

[12]      Mr Mark Polden, Public Interest Advocacy Centre, Committee Hansard, 12.02.09, p.5.

[13]      Mr Rick Snell, Submission 7, p.2.

[14]      Mr Rick Snell, Submission 7, p.2.

[15]      Professor McKinnon, Australian Press Council, Committee Hansard, 12.02.09, p.9.

[16]      Associate Professor Moira Paterson, Submission 8, p.2.

[17]      Mr Paul Tilley, PM&C, Committee Hansard, 12.02.09, p.12.

[18]      Australian Law Reform Commission and Administrative Review Council, Open government: a review of the federal Freedom of Information Act 1982, 1995, Chapter 9.

[19]      Explanatory Memorandum, p.5.

[20]      Explanatory Memorandum, pp 4–5.

[21]      Associate Professor Moira Paterson, Submission 8, p.2.

[22]      Mr Paul Tilley, PM&C, Committee Hansard, 12.02.09, pp 12–13.

[23]      Explanatory Memorandum, p.6.

[24]      Mr Rick Snell, Submission 7, p.2.

[25]      Public Interest Advocacy Centre, Submission 2, p.3. Similarly, Mr Peter Timmins questioned the IGIS in relation to evidence affecting international relations. See further Submission 6, p.1.

[26]      Mr Mark Polden, PIAC, Committee Hansard, 12.02.09, p.7.

[27]      Mr Paul Tilley, PM&C, Committee Hansard, 12.02.09, p.13.

[28]      Public Interest Advocacy Centre, Submission 2, p.3.

[29]      Ms Elizabeth Simpson, PIAC, Committee Hansard, 12.02.09, p.7.

[30]      Senator the Hon. John Faulkner, Special Minister of State and Cabinet Secretary, Second Reading Speech, Senate Hansard, 26.11.08, p.1.

[31]      Explanatory Memorandum, p.8.

[32]      Mr Michael McKinnon, Committee Hansard, 12.02.09, p.2.

[33]      Mr Rick Snell, Committee Hansard, 12.02.09, p.3.

[34]      Explanatory Memorandum, p.2.

[35]      Associate Professor Moira Paterson, Submission 8, p.3.

[36]      Associate Professor Moira Paterson, Submission 8, p.3.

[37]      Mr Paul Tilley, PM&C, Committee Hansard, 12.02.09, p.13.

[38]      Australian Press Council, Submission 3, p.5. Australia's Right to Know supported these concerns and those raised in relation to subsection 7(2B) but emphasised that the body does not believe passage of the bill should be stopped because of such 'flaws'. Mr Michael McKinnon, Committee Hansard, 12.02.09, p.1.

[39]      Professor McKinnon, Australian Press Council, Committee Hansard, 12.02.09, p.9.

[40]      Australian Press Council, Submission 3, p.5.

[41]      Mr Paul Tilley, PM&C, Committee Hansard, 12.02.09, p.13.

Additional Comments by Coalition Senators

[1] Peter Costello, Treasure, ‘Questions in Writing: Freedom of Information’, House of Representatives, Debates, 20 March 2007, p. 105

[2] Ibid

[3] Attorney-General’s Department, Freedom of Information Act 1982, Annual Report 2007-08, October 2008, p. 2

[4] Ibid, p. 8

[5] Ibid, p. 5

[6] Ibid, p.24