NEARLY two years after a report into the territory’s freedom-of-information processes was handed down, not a single recommendation has been implemented, the Liberal Opposition says.

Shadow Attorney General Peter Cain says a number of recommendations were made following the 2020 report which found “multiple issues” with the FOI process in the ACT, but none have been actioned.

“This raises serious questions around whether the Special Minister of State [Chris Steel] is doing his job – to ensure consistency across government services and acknowledge their accountability to that,” said Cain.

Cain asked about the review in an Estimates Hearing today (August 30), pointing to the long wait time for FOI requests and the staff shortages in government FOI roles.

“The Minister could not answer basic questions about staff shortages in government FOI roles, the appropriateness and lack of consistency of staff training, and when FOI disclosure logs are audited,” Cain said.

“The Minister wasn’t even aware that understaffing was so bad that in some instances, members of the public requesting FOIs have been receiving automatic 3 months extensions.

“This Labor-Greens government has proven time and time again their contempt for government transparency; they clearly do not value accountability.”