Page 80 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 8 April 1992
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agency informs the person that his or her request has been partially or wholly unsuccessful. Again, the clock starts ticking immediately and the agency cannot employ stalling tactics.
This Bill has been put forward to tighten up the Territory's FOI legislation. It will not impose any additional burden on the public service. After all, decisions on the remission of fees are hardly hard decisions. They should be made swiftly and should not impede or frustrate genuine requests for information by members of the public.
The Bill is also important as cost is a major barrier to people's access to information. The remission of fees is only part of the cost. People are legitimately seeking remission of fees because they are entitled to have remission of the processing charges - costs which can be very expensive. The charge, for example, for locating documents is $15 an hour, while the charge for agencies' decision making and consultation time is $20 an hour. There are charges such as 10c per photocopy, $12.50 per hour of supervised inspection, and special rates for services such as tape transcription and computer print-outs.
It is important that people and community groups have the access afforded by the freedom of information legislation, and they should not be penalised by seeking remission of fees on grounds of financial hardship when they are seeking information which is of a personal nature or where the issue is of public interest. Madam Speaker, I commend the Bill to the Assembly.
Debate (on motion by Mr Connolly) adjourned.
ELECTRICITY AND WATER (AMENDMENT) BILL 1992
MRS CARNELL (10.41): I present the Electricity and Water (Amendment) Bill 1992.
Title read by Clerk.
MRS CARNELL: I move:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
I am sorry to have to raise this issue of water fluoridation.
Ms Follett: You have changed your minds again.
MRS CARNELL: I have not.
Mr Kaine: We have never changed our minds. We always supported fluoride in the water. Let us get it clear.
Mr Connolly: The sensible Liberals did. You had a few problems last time.
MRS CARNELL: Can I proceed now? As the interjections show, this issue plagued the last Assembly.
Mr Berry: Aren't you embarrassed? You ought to be embarrassed.
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