Mr STONE - 1995-10-19
Mr STONE (Chief Minister): I have a supplementary answer to provide to the questions that were asked of me in relation to open government in the Northern Territory. In particular, I refer to my reference to the myth and the farce of freedom-of-information legislation, whether it is administered federally or by the states.
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: During Question Time, I asked my staff to find an example, any example, of the sort of material that is obtained under freedom-of-information legislation - this great panacea for open government. I have been handed a letter that was written by the Prime Minister to Mrs Lois O'Donoghue, the Chair of ATSIC. It is clear that 2 paragraphs have simply disappeared from the first page, but page 2 is entirely blank.
Mr Coulter: It says, `Yours sincerely'.
Mr STONE: `Yours sincerely, P.J. Keating'. That is the nonsense.
Mr Speaker, I table that letter. That is a random example of open government.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Page 936
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: During Question Time, I asked my staff to find an example, any example, of the sort of material that is obtained under freedom-of-information legislation - this great panacea for open government. I have been handed a letter that was written by the Prime Minister to Mrs Lois O'Donoghue, the Chair of ATSIC. It is clear that 2 paragraphs have simply disappeared from the first page, but page 2 is entirely blank.
Mr Coulter: It says, `Yours sincerely'.
Mr STONE: `Yours sincerely, P.J. Keating'. That is the nonsense.
Mr Speaker, I table that letter. That is a random example of open government.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Page 936
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016