Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Freedom of Information Amendment (Requests and Reasons) Bill 2015. The Freedom of Information Amendment (Requests and Reasons) Bill seeks to amend the Freedom of Information Act 1982 to require government agencies and ministers to publish the exact wording of freedom of information requests. It will also require government agencies and ministers to publish a statement of reasons concerning their decision to allow, refuse or edit the release of requested documents. Since the Australian parliament first considered introducing freedom of information legislation in the 1970s, Labor has worked to—