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Tell them about FOI in NSW, its a great story(not)

By Peter Timmins

I think I saw NSW Premier Morris Iemma sitting in the backrow in the Health group at the 2020 summit, as might befit the former Minister for Health in NSW,and someone rightly concerned about the crisis in the public health system in NSW.

Did his path cross with David Marr in the Governance group who said on Saturday that this comment in the folder sent to him by the Premier put him over the edge when it came to responding to the Premier's urging to represent NSW interests at the Summit. Could have been an interesting chat over morning tea:

"But what killed any ambition to represent NSW is Iemma's spruiking for the state's wretched FOI regime. "Since its introduction in 1989, the Freedom of Information Act has contributed significantly to the openness and accountability of Government. The act continues to perform that function, and its operation is continually subject to scrutiny and review ?"

Full post as published by Open and Shut on April 20, 2008 (boomark / email).