Western Australian Independent Senator Fatima Payman is today celebrating a big win for freedom and transparency after the Government discharged the flawed Freedom of Information Bill from the notice paper.
In the final week of sitting in 2025 Senator Payman committed to moving a motion on discharging the Bill on the first sitting.
On 3 February, she moved for the discharge, which failed after the Liberal Party and National Party abstained, but undeterred she sought to move again this week for its discharge.
Instead of allowing the motion to go for a vote, the Government last-minute discharged the Bill this morning.
Senator Payman commended the Government for listening to the public and the rest of the Senate but said the Bill should never have been tabled in the first place.
“They got there eventually, but they could have saved a lot of time, a lot of grief and a lot of taxpayers’ money by just carrying out genuine consultation with subject matter experts and the Senate,” Senator Payman said.
“I am hoping that this move is the beginnings of a crack in the wall of secrecy the Labor Government has been fortifying, particularly in this term.
“I would like to thank my Senate colleagues of all stripes for working together and keeping up the pressure, which has resulted in this big win for every Australian who values transparency and accountability.”
ENDS
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Ash Telford
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