Government officials are using disappearing text messages to circumvent scrutiny, threatening transparency and risking democracy. Rex Patrick exposes a dangerous practice ignored by the PM.
Tag: Transparency
The Senate has handed down its report into the operation of Commonwealth Freedom of Information laws, and Labor reports ‘nothing to see here’. Transparency warrior Rex Patrick looks at the inquiry’s findings.
‘Nothing to see’ is indeed an accurate reflection of the state of the FOI regime, because that’s how most FOI requests are returned … with nothing.
The majority view expressed in the report by the Greens and the Liberals was that it is a completely broken system, but the Labor view is that it is sitting pretty much where the Government wants it.
Source: Nothing to see here. Albo’s vows of transparency vanish in a veil of secrecy – Michael West
Australia’s defence export program has recently come under scrutiny for its lack of transparency, particularly in relation to whether approved export permits are providing material support to Israel’s war against Hamas. Lauren Sanders, an expert in war crimes enforcement, reports.
Source: How much do we know about Australia’s weapons export to Israel? – Michael West
PS: What happened to the teeth and the transparency?
Source: The NACC: Why it is taking so long – » The Australian Independent Media Network
In opposition, Federal Labor spoke up long and loud in favour of government transparency. Now they are in government, their voice on this has gone rather quiet.
There’s already been quite a bit of backsliding once Labor bums got comfortable again in ministerial chairs. One thing’s for sure now; there’s now a court case on-foot that goes directly to the credibility of Mark Dreyfus as much as it goes to the credibility of government. I’d like to think he’ll back transparency, but after he abandoned whistleblowers Richard Boyle and David McBride, I’m just not sure. We’ll find out soon.
Can a Prime Minister use a Cabinet reshuffle to sweep government dirt under the carpet? Rex Patrick reports on rorts and transparency.
Source: Rex v the A-G: will Labor keep Liberal dirt under the carpet? – Michael West
Politicizing the Public Service and private consultancies must end
It shouldn’t be necessary, but it is. Today, independent member for Mackellar, Sophie Scamps, is introducing the ‘Ending Jobs for Mates Bill’ which intends to legislate a transparent and independent process for major Commonwealth public appointments. Callum Foote reports.
The Robodebt Commission lays bare a lack of regard for the rule of law among both ministers and public servants.
On 30 November last year, when the House of Representatives was censuring former Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Mr Albanese rose and stated with force:
The fact is that our democracy is precious. There’s no room for complacency … we can’t take our democracy for granted.
Yet his own office is engaged in undermining the rule of law; a foundation for democracy. If the Prime Minister doesn’t act in this instance, he’s no better than the man that was censured on that day.
Source: Robodebt and transparency failures: is the rule of law optional for the PM’s office? – Michael West
Transparency International’s global experience knows that too often great anti-corruption reforms get watered down over the years. We need to future proof Australia’s National Anti-Corruption Commission against any risk of being watered down by future governments by ensuring it is independent and its resourcing is shielded from politics
Source: Angst over corruption watchdog, first Queen’s death, now fear of Dutton deal – Michael West
The NSW ICAC is celebrated for exposing corruption across politics, including the now-convicted former Labor ministers Eddie Obeid and Ian Macdonald. But as the third Liberal premier to resign as a result of ICAC scrutiny since 1992, Berejiklian’s demise is almost certain to provoke a backlash. The news followed the South Australia parliament passing sweeping amendments to its own Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) last week, narrowing the scope of its operations and reducing its transparency. Get news curated by experts, not algorithms. Both events bring sharp focus to the right balance of powers for all such bodies, especially the long-awaited federal integrity commission, still in the works over two years after being promised by the Morrison government. However, South Australia’s reforms in particular point to why a political backlash against these important agencies would be extremely unwise.
The number of groups operating as private sector security and military organizations, and the extent of their activities, is extremely difficult to track, as transparency is not a highly valued concept.
Source: The Untamed and Unregulated Beast of Private Military Security Companies | The Smirking Chimp
In correspondence between an employee and Dow regarding a query by Guardian Australia on available aqueous sources, it was suggested “we do not give [the paper] anything more than what is already on the public record from us. They are clearly struggling to work out where we are getting our water, so I don’t think we give them any further clarity.” Dow approved of the measure.
Source: Let the Vandalism Begin: Adani Strikes Coal – » The Australian Independent Media Network
I will update my regular sign off! What do we want? ICAC!! How do we want it! With real teeth! When do we want it? NOW!!
Integrity, transparency, honesty – and ethics – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Compare the pair. Thulasisi Sivapalan is Australia’s most prolific super fund investor. The PhD candidate with the Accounting Discipline Group at the UTS Business School tried to join 41 super funds just to get their financial statements. It was a tough journey; navigating mystified admin staff, unhelpful regulators at APRA, even an abattoir. On a mission to find out how much tax super funds pay, Thulasisi discovered billions of dollars in discrepancies between what Australia’s super funds were telling their investors and what they were reporting to APRA. Callum Foote reports on a peculiar road-trip.
As I read the principles and recommendations from the ASX, the thing that struck me most forcibly is that there are no similar expectations or accountability for government and parliamentarians.
Why not?
‘The more the authorities claim their secrecy is in the “national interest”, the less it’s likely that what they are up to is in the public interest.’
via Australia, 2018: Lies, cover-ups and suppression of free speech
olddogthoughts 
You must be logged in to post a comment.