International Law

Faulkner sticking to his guns on conclusive certificates

By Peter Timmins

The Sydney Morning Herald today gives wider publicity to the revelation here on Tuesday that the Federal Treasury voiced concern to the new government about its election commitment to abolish conclusive certificates - "Treasury battles to keep secrecy laws". A spokesman for the Special Minister for State however told Matthew Moore that the Government will stick to its policy on certificates: "Our policy is to abolish them.....there is no change" and that FOI reform will be acted upon before the end of the year. That's hardly rushing things.

My post seems to be the only online access to the actual Treasury briefing note on Freedom of Information.

The Australian Financial Review today also publishes my comment on an opinion piece yesterday by former Labor Leader Mark Latham, about MPs perks - while it won't solve the perks problem, as I said, improved transparency would be a first step.

Full post as published by Open and Shut on February 07, 2008 (boomark / email).