Premier, ScoMo pandemic texts to be kept top secret
Queenslanders will be kept in the dark as text messages sent between the Premier and Prime Minister about the pandemic have been blocked from being released.
QLD News
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Text messages about the pandemic sent between Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Prime Minister Scott Morrison have been blocked from being released, with Queenslanders kept in the dark about exchanges between the two powerful leaders.
The Right to Information unit in the Department of Premier and Cabinet has refused access to a number of texts, warning their release could reasonably be expected to “prejudice” intergovernmental relations.
But the unit acknowledged the disclosure of the messages could also reasonably be expected to promote open discussion of public affairs and enhance the government’s accountability.
The decision was made in response to an application from The Courier-Mail that sought texts between Ms Palaszczuk and Mr Morrison on the pandemic, restrictions, state borders and national cabinet.
In their search, the RTI unit – which is independent from Ms Palaszczuk’s office – found seven documents that involved messages between Ms Palaszczuk and Mr Morrison.
In weighing up if the messages were contrary to the public interest, the RTI officer gave “moderate weight” to the public interest issues of transparency and accountability.
But they gave “substantial weight” to how disclosing the texts could reasonably be expected to “prejudice intergovernmental relations” – ultimately deciding the messages were contrary to the public interest.
They pointed to a previous statement from Mr Morrison, premiers and chief ministers, where the leaders suggested confidentiality should apply to discussions, papers and records of national cabinet meetings.
The RTI officer specifically highlighted a section of the statement that said: “The confidentiality of information and decision-making has been invaluable to national cabinet, enabling issues to be dealt with quickly, based on advice from experts.”
They also noted that the statement argued the disclosure of national cabinet discussions, other than in accordance with principles agreed to by the leaders, would undermine its operation and “severely damage” relations between the commonwealth and the state and territory governments.
“I consider that the public interest considerations favouring nondisclosure outweigh other considerations, accordingly the disclosure of the information in issue on balance would not be in the public interest,” the RTI officer wrote.
Only last year, redacted messages between Ms Palaszczuk and then-NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian were released via RTI – including one where the Queensland Premier tells Ms Berejiklian about an impending border reopening.
The Courier-Mail’s RTI application sought text messages spanning from January 1, 2020 to February 15 this year.
The RTI unit found another four documents in response to The Courier-Mail’s application, but they were about personal information in relation to a funeral – and were subsequently not released.
The RTI officer suggested the public interest would be best served by protecting the privacy of the individual referred to in the documents.
Originally published as Premier, ScoMo pandemic texts to be kept top secret
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