FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (14:44): Given the minister claimed that cabinet documents older than 10 years were available under the new policy, why has his government refused to release documents from the 1980s, under the former Bannon government, relating to the privatisation of SAGASCO by the former Labor government?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister Assisting the Premier in Public Sector Management) (14:44): As I indicated in relation to that rule, there were, I think, 350 or so applications. I did give the figure.

The Hon. R.I. Lucas: Is that a bit embarrassing, is it, Labor privatisation?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: Not at all. I would imagine, Mr President, that, in relation to cabinet documents relating to privatisation, there could well be commercially-sensitive matters, which, as I indicated in the latter part of my question, may well have commercial—

The Hon. R.I. Lucas interjecting:

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: The Hon. Mr Lucas has no basis on which to say that at all. That decision would have been made by—

The Hon. R.I. Lucas: All the Liberal ones were released.

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: And probably the Hon. Mr Lucas himself requested them, is my understanding of it. He is probably the main person who was requesting it.

The Hon. R.I. Lucas: I got the Liberal ones and not the Labor ones. I wonder why?

The Hon. J.M.A. Lensink: Selective FOI?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: The honourable member is correct: there is an independent FOI officer, and the decision is really a matter for that person.