Freedom of disinformation
Howard govt, Industrial relations - - Posted on August, 14 at 11:13 am by Tim
The government has decided that public debate isn’t in the national interest.
The Australian newspaper recently made an FOI request about some documents related to the new industrial relations legislation, WorkChoices. The request was denied and the government has concocted a fairly amazing case as to why they won’t release the documents, as Matthew Moore explains:
When refused access to the documents, the newspaper took the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal to argue against the decision.
Instead of running its case in the tribunal, the department secretary, Peter Shergold, pulled out the club and issued conclusive certificates that state the release of the documents was against the public interest. This virtually guarantees the documents will be kept secret. All the tribunal can decide now is whether Shergold had reasonable grounds to make his claim.
Shergold lists six reasons why releasing the documents is not in the public interest. This is my favourite: “The workplace reform legislation is now in the public domain and disclosure of the working documents may divert important public discussion away from the actual legislation to a discussion of the options initially considered but later discounted. This would lead to speculation about possible future workplace relations which are not Government policy.”
The full list of reasons is here.
Apart from the sheer anti-democratic aspect of this approach, I’m interested in the wording of that reason, the bit that says it might “lead to speculation about possible future workplace relations”.
I pointed out a while ago that we shouldn’t see the current IR changes as the end of the line, that PM has referred to them merely as the “next logical step” in the process of “reform”. Consequently, this refusal to allow access, and the reason given for that refusal, suggests that, indeed, there are more changes in the pipeline.
No wonder the government is trying to keep such information out of the public domain.
Posted in Howard govt, Industrial relations |
August 14th, 2006 at 12:08 pm
It is just in keeping with the way the government has handled this issue. The government obviously thought the best way to sell this legislation was to lie and misrepresent it as lifting wages and conditions. I think their ad campaign along with the gagging of senate debate on this issue only raised suspicions about the governments motives. Those suspicions have been well founded and this latest revelation is just another nail in the coffin of the governments credibility on this issue. I can’t see how they can possibily take “Workchoices” to the electorate in its current state but for Labor’s sake I hope they do.
August 14th, 2006 at 12:44 pm
I don’t see the point of having the FOI act. It seems that any information you’d really want to get at is never going to be free in the first place. How about a revision of the Act — there’s seems to be something wrong with it.
August 14th, 2006 at 2:32 pm
So any information that might cause speculation about what might happen is now out of reach for us ordinary citizens?
Sounds like we should get nothing out of the government - oh, wait, we generally don’t anyway.
Might as well scrap the whole system, issue us the identity cards and wait for the knock on the door.
Shameful, utterly shameful.
August 14th, 2006 at 6:39 pm
Democracy, wha?
August 14th, 2006 at 7:57 pm
Anybody know how to apply for FOI regarding Howard’s reasoning in making petrol a big issue all of a sudden? What’s keeping him up at nights worrying about petrol prices? Is there anything on the horizon that might see a real spike in prices occur? Any plans somewhere that may see a big disruption sometime in the next 12 months?
This recent polling about ppl saying the government has not done enough re oil is merely a feedback loop to Howard deliberately making it a political issue in the first place. Howard wants ppl to worry about oil. Why?
August 14th, 2006 at 8:16 pm
When Howard said he was genuinely concerned about petrol prices, I think he was telling the truth. Which is that he is genuinely concerned about the political consequences for him of sustained high petrol prices for the rest of us.
High, and indeed increasing, liquid fuel prices are here to stay. Get used to it.
August 14th, 2006 at 8:45 pm
Bizarre, then, that he should raise it as an issue. Wonder why he doesn’t say: “I lie awake at night, fretting about rising interest rates.”
But yes, you’re probably right Seeker, his hand-wringing about petrol prices was nothing more than a little scene-setter for his announced LPG subsidies today. Man of action. I.d. a problem, come out with a solution one week later, and hopefully wrong-foot some idiot ALP time-server on the way through.
August 14th, 2006 at 9:00 pm
At dinner with two of my brothers-in-law last a few days ago. Both are rusted on howard-huggers. Both are paying off substantial home loans. Their main complaint (despite both having compay cars) was the price of petrol.
Sure things are getting tight. Sure their houses are worth less than they were a year ago. Sure the interest rates mean less disposable income. But they weren’t too concerned about all that. No. Something else is pushing them closer to the financial edge.
The rising price of petrol is what troubles them. It’s cramping their life-styles. But, of course, the prime miniature can’t be blamed for that. It’s those pesky events overseas that are making things difficult.
Howard has planted the seed and it has taken root in fertile ground.
August 14th, 2006 at 9:07 pm
The Rodent keeps claiming that, when it comes to the price of petrol, he is powerless. The punters have bought that spin.
The truth, in general terms, is that prices are up because supply is down; failing to meet increasing demand.
Does anyone seriously suggest, that the war in Iraq has nothing to do with the price of Oil.
PS Howard is directly involved in pursuing the war in Iraq. Thus he must bear some responsibility for the price of fuel.
August 14th, 2006 at 9:29 pm
It puzzles me that the media never ask the obvious question in relation to this pesky fuel price problem that keeps Howard awake at night:
“Has the invasion of Iraq, and the devastation created by the invasion contributed to higher oil prices”? ( Remember Murdochs prediction that oil would be US$20 a barrell after the fall of Saddam)
But they wouldn’t, would they? Iraq is the name that shall never be spoken in the Australian media. And in particular, when you are fawning at the feet of this particular demi-god. It will be interesting if the Oz decides to appeal the decision, given that they are part of the cheer squad that continues to tell us all what a ‘bloody beaut bloke’the lying little mongrel is.
Maybe Howard thinks Hockey can spin better than Andrews, and placate the pesky media on IR. FOI is an oxy-moron under this mob. Should be renamed “Mind your own business” but that would upset an accounting mob.
August 14th, 2006 at 9:39 pm
Bushie… given the prime miniature’s stature, maybe he should be thought of as a semi-god.
August 14th, 2006 at 9:43 pm
Perhaps “demagogue” would be a better fit.
According to wiki… demagogy refers to a political strategy for obtaining and gaining political power by appealing to the popular prejudices, fears, and expectations of the public — typically via impassioned rhetoric and propaganda, and often using nationalistic or populist themes.
Ka-ching!
August 14th, 2006 at 10:31 pm
A semi-god demagogue.
Pretty much sums him up. Thanks, Mars.