Lawyer Greg Griffin slams response of FOI request into Adelaide Crows camp
The response to a freedom of information request into the Adelaide Crows camp has been slammed by a high-profile lawyer acting for Josh Jenkins.
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A freedom of information application requesting SafeWork SA’s report into the controversial pre-season camp held by the Adelaide Crows in 2018 has been labelled “North Korea-like’’ by lawyer Greg Griffin after he was billed $6000 for reams of blank pages.
Mr Griffin, who is acting for former Crows’ player Josh Jenkins, filed the FOI request seeking SafeWork SA’s secret report into the camp, which ultimately found “no breach’’ of the Workplace Health and Safety Act had occurred.
The returned FOI identified 284 documents relevant to the request, but full access was denied to all but eight.
Among the documents that Mr Griffin was denied access to was an extract from a parliamentary debate recorded in Hansard, which is a public document. He was only granted “partial access” to the press release published by SafeWork SA when it cleared the Crows of any rule breach. SafeWork SA sent Mr Griffin that press release, which is still on the organisation’s website, with portions of it redacted.
Of the documents, Mr Griffin was granted full access, five were extracts from publicly available legislation, while another was the audio of Mr Jenkins’ own interview with SafeWork SA.
“I would have received more co-operation from North Korea,’’ Mr Griffin said.
“They basically sent me 58 blank pages and an extract from the Work, Health and Safety Act, which I could have printed off my computer for free.
“They have deliberately attempted to provide absolutely nothing.’’
Mr Griffin filed the FOI request in September and SafeWork SA asked for extra time to complete it. However, Mr Griffin appealed to the Ombudsman who said the request had to be fulfilled in 30 days.
Mr Griffin has now applied for an internal review of the documents returned and is prepared to again appeal to the Ombudsman if he is unhappy. He said SafeWork SA had not even made a determination on his primary focus of being given the full report.
Earlier this year, Jenkins said the pre-season camp was “psychologically unsafe’’ and the club “completely fell apart’’ after the experience on the Gold Coast.
Mr Griffin said the camp had ended some careers and shortened others and that he had enough players to launch a class action against the Adelaide Crows and the AFL. He said SafeWork SA was now “holding up serious litigation’’.
Mr Griffin also questioned why Adelaide and the AFL had received a copy of he report, but Jenkins was excluded.
A SafeWork SA spokesman said it had not provided the report to the Crows or the AFL.
“The amount charged under the FOI Act is calculated in accordance with the schedule of fees listed in the Act,’’ he said.
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Originally published as Lawyer Greg Griffin slams response of FOI request into Adelaide Crows camp
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