The Greens’ motion calling on the government to ensure GBEs and SOCs make public right to information documents has passed the Parliament, supported by all members. It’s an important improvement in public transparency.
While some GBEs and SOCs keep a register of RTI disclosures on their website, many do not. This means information of considerable public interest is often only disclosed to RTI applicants, but not the public.
Last parliamentary sitting, it took an order from Parliament to force a GBE, TasRacing, to release a right to information document. This was an absurd situation, especially when the information had been released to the applicant, and was so clearly in the public interest.
The RTI in question related to key questions about the conduct of Minister Howlett during caretaker mode, and in Parliament thereafter. TasRacing never should have been able to refuse to release this information to the public.
Government agencies are required to make RTIs public. There has never been a reason for GBEs and SOCs to fly under the radar of the same public scrutiny. GBEs and SOCs are owned and funded by Tasmanians, and they’re meant to serve the public interest.
This motion should ensure Parliament’s time isn’t wasted again requiring basic GBE transparency. We expect the Liberals to honour their commitment, with alacrity, to require GBEs and SOCs to make RTIs transparent with the public.
