Documents accidentally released to the ABC show the culture of secrecy in the Tasmanian government. The next government must ensure they reform Tasmania’s RTI system and create a culture of transparency with the public, not secrecy.
The community’s ability to access information is an important part of a healthy democracy. It’s essential in allowing the public to hold the government and its agencies accountable.
For more than a decade, the Liberals have created a culture of secrecy within the government. There’s significant delays in responding to requests, and information which should be released to the public is kept behind closed doors.
A staggering 80% of RTIs which were appealed in the last two years resulted in the decision to keep information secret being overturned or set aside. It’s undermining public trust in our democracy.
The Greens call on the Liberal and Labor parties to commit to reforming Tasmania’s RTI laws and addressing the culture of secrecy within government. In the balance of power, the Greens will continue to hold the government accountable, and fight for the transparency and honesty Tasmanians expect.
