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Wednesday, 29 November 2017
Page: 9230

Senator CHISHOLM (Queensland) (15:34): I seek leave to make a short statement.

The PRESIDENT: Leave is granted for one minute.

Senator CHISHOLM: Labor supports transparency in government. Labor established the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner and signed Australia up to the open government partnership. In contrast, those opposite, in their appalling first budget, cut off funding to the OAIC beyond the end of that year but they failed to get crossbench support to abolish the office.

In government, Labor introduced reforms to strengthen Commonwealth freedom of information laws. In contrast, the record of those opposite on FOI has been reprehensible, as demonstrated by Senator Brandis's desperate attempts over three years to circumvent FOI law in order to keep his diary secret. If Senator Brandis had any respect for laws that he is supposed to oversee or the principles of transparency and accountability, the OAIC would be properly resourced and this motion would not be necessary.

Question agreed to.