The Albanese government’s proposed changes to freedom of information (FoI) laws appear doomed, with the Coalition, Greens and key crossbenchers uniting in opposition. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has explicitly committed the Coalition to voting against the reforms, describing them as a ‘retreat from transparency’ in an op-ed published in the Canberra Times.
The reforms, announced last month, would introduce new charges for FoI requests, tighter rules on access, and a time limit on public servants’ processing time. The government argues they are needed to prevent AI-generated mass requests and misuse by malicious actors, but critics say they would further erode transparency. Official figures show FoI requests granted in full have fallen from 59% in 2011-12 to 25% in 2023-24, while refusals have nearly doubled.
Independent senator David Pocock and former senator Rex Patrick praised Ley’s stance, with Patrick thanking her for ‘standing up for democracy’. The Centre for Public Integrity also commended her position and called for an independent review of FoI instead. Attorney General Michelle Rowland criticised the Coalition for a ‘premature and confused’ decision, but conceded no clear path to Senate passage exists.
In a related reshuffle, Julian Leeser was moved from shadow attorney general to shadow education, replaced by Andrew Wallace. Leeser had previously labelled the FoI changes a ‘truth tax’. The government has offered security briefings to address concerns, but opposition appears entrenched.
