ACT Government: Elizabeth Lee to push transparency agenda

Opposition leader Elizabeth Lee has announced she will push for ACT cabinet documents to be released to the public within a month, not a decade. Find out why.

ACT Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee is calling for the ACT Government to make cabinet documents available within 30 days, rather than 10 years.

Currently cabinet documents are released on Canberra Day 10 years after the submission date of papers.

Ms Lee has released a draft of the bill she plans to bring to the Assembly when it sits next week.

“Government must be open and transparent wherever possible,” Ms Lee said.

“This ACT Labor-Greens Government routinely hide their failures and mismanagement from the public by refusing Freedom of Information requests on the grounds they contain cabinet material.”

Ms Lee claimed a “culture of secrecy” had been fostered by ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr and the Labor-led “government that has been in power for over 20 years”.

ACT Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee has called for ACT Government documents to be released within 30 days rather than 10 years.

The opposition leader also said the unicameral structure of the Assembly, which does not have an upper house, made the need for greater transparency more important.

“This bill strikes the right balance between providing necessary transparency while also giving exemptions to documents deemed not in the public interest,” Ms Lee said.

“To simply hide behind a policy that says cabinet documents cannot be released for 10 years as a reason not to be upfront with Canberrans is not good enough.

“The Canberra Liberals believe in an open and transparent government, and we will continue to put forward policy that ensures the government of the day are held to account.”