Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-09-11 Daily Xml

Contents

Freedom of Information

The Hon. T.T. NGO (14:50): My question is to the Minister for Human Services. What does the minister understand to be her responsibilities under the FOI Act and any related policy or procedure? Is it appropriate for ministers or their staff to attempt to influence determinations of FOI officers?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:50): I am not sure I follow that question, really. We have an FOI Act. As far as I am aware, I have complied with it. As far as I am aware, my staff have complied with it. It's quite interesting actually to get questions from members of the Labor Party, given that when we were in opposition the responses were spun out and spun out endlessly.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Indeed, as some of my colleagues disorderly interject, if you ever got one—and I am aware that the now Attorney-General, member for Bragg, has had to take some of these matters to court and has done so successfully—FOIs, under the previous administration, were buried. We, on this side, and probably other applicants, were lucky to ever receive a reply.