A scathing audit report has revealed that nearly 80% of freedom of information (FoI) requests to Anthony Albanese’s department, Treasury, and the infrastructure department were rejected, fostering a culture of “resistance and delay” in the Australian parliament. The review of FoI administration found no consistent, transparent, or accountable decision-making around requests, with the pro-disclosure objectives of the law being flouted.
Key Findings of the Audit
The auditor general examined a sample of over 43,000 applications received by the Albanese government in 2024-25. The findings indicate that departments lacked appropriate policies and procedures to meet transparency obligations and were not maintaining adequate FoI records. Last financial year, 79% of applications were refused in full or in part, and 57% resulted in no documents being released.
Department disclosure logs for FoI applications were found to be incomplete and not in accordance with the law. Additionally, 63% of requests had longer response times than the mandated 30-day deadline. Among application decisions referred to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) for review, 62% were changed or overturned, suggesting that bureaucrats were not fully adhering to disclosure obligations.
Systemic Failures
The report stated: “The three audited entities are unable to demonstrate that they have met the obligation to take all reasonable steps to find requested documents. Entities are not maintaining adequate records of the searches they undertake in response to FoI applications to assure completeness. Entity records also do not consistently support decisions to refuse access because records could not be located or do not exist.”
There was a 25% increase in the number of FoI applications across government last financial year, highlighting growing demand for transparency.
Reactions and Calls for Reform
Gabrielle Appleby, head of research for the Centre for Public Integrity, criticized the findings, stating that the audit report was supposed to provide assurances on effective administration of FoI rules but instead confirmed that Australia’s FoI system is not operating as a transparency and accountability mechanism. She called for a comprehensive and independent review of the FoI system, emphasizing that it is not enough to trust government assurances that things will improve.
The 1982 Freedom of Information Act allows the public to request official documents from government ministers, departments, and agencies. Strict rules govern what can be withheld, but the system is often slow and results in heavily redacted information. In March, Labor abandoned controversial plans to overhaul FoI rules, which would have imposed new fees and reduced transparency, after conceding the laws had no viable pathway through parliament.
An FoI inquiry in 2023 described the system as “dysfunctional and broken” due to years of funding cuts, absence of consequences, and lack of senior pro-disclosure leaders across the public service.
