Page 2747 - Week 08 - Thursday, 11 August 2016
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information about FOI laws to make the best possible law that will deliver government transparency to the community at the same time as protecting essential public interests. This is the balance that this bill strikes. I am very pleased that, for the most part at least, the Assembly will be supporting it.
This is about taking a different approach. It is actually about embracing the community. It is about trusting the community. It is about building community trust in government and the public service. I know that some of our public servants are concerned about this draft, about the approach the bill is taking, and I say to them, “Work with it. Know that, if we start to release more information, the community will need to ask for less and the community will see that government has its best interests at heart.” On the whole, I believe government does—both the cabinet and the public service. Does that mean that either the cabinet or the public service always gets it right? Perhaps not, but let us have that discussion so that we produce better outcomes for our community as a whole.
I will have more to say on the specific comments that have been made in the detail stage. I will conclude at this point by thanking colleagues for their in-principle support. I believe that we are making a good decision for the ACT community today and I think that over time that point will be demonstrated. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Detail stage
Bill, by leave, taken as a whole.
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Before proceeding with the amendments I propose that it may suit the convenience of the Assembly to consider amendments together in groups that deal with like issues.
MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo) (11.53): I move amendment No 1 circulated in my name [see schedule 1 at page 2853].
This amendment relates to the commencement date for the legislation. The Greens do not believe that we need to wait until 2018 to commence this legislation. I believe that there is almost one year, with the date I propose—1 July 2017—to bring this act into force. I believe that that allows enough time for the systems to be put in place and for the training to take place that will need to occur. I note that most of the Queensland Right to Information Act commenced in one month and was entirely commenced in less than six months. To give this some context, at the same time I recognise that it is a significant reform and changes will need to be made. Those who work in various government agencies will need to make adjustments. We will need to engage with the Ombudsman to prepare for this system. I think that is a good compromise position. The one we can accept in order to move forward on this is the proposal to commence on 1 July 2017.
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