James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

The government does not support the motion. Contrary to paragraph (a)(vi) of the motion, the Australian Information Commissioner Act 2010 does not require the appointment of three people to fill the three statutory offices under the act. The Australian Information Commissioner, Mr Timothy Pilgrim PSM, can and does perform the functions of the FOI Commissioner. As Mr Pilgrim himself said in Senate estimates on 28 February this year:

The advice I gave government was that I had believed that the role could be done by one person. The appointment of a further statutory office holder would be an unnecessary drain on the office of the Australian Information Commissioner's resources.