Submission to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, Inquiry into the operation of Commonwealth Freedom of Information (FOI) laws

As academic researchers with experience in seeking FOI disclosure for purposes of informing background considerations and dynamics as to how particular policy frameworks have been devised, we are familiar with the issue of time delays, undue road blocks and the impact limited (and subsequently depleted) resourcing has created for the FOI Office and its staff. Rather than add further to the already well documented mountain of evidence around one year+ delays procuring basic background documents represents1 – standardly our experiences to date – we support the broadly reported incidents as documented by the media, academia and in litigation to date.