Post by Banjo on Nov 3, 2013 8:10:45 GMT 7
Silence echoes across Canberra as the Coalition clams up
Controlled quiet is the new code in the capital.
(Selected only).
Since winning office, Abbott has fronted the nation's media just eight times. Calls to his office, and to his ministers, frequently go unanswered or unreturned.
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During the week, Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop was a star speaker at the Australian Council for International Development conference in Canberra. The two-day event was open to the public, including the media - except for Bishop's speech. It's understood the media was barred at the request of the minister, who is tasked with enforcing the government's $4.5 billion cut to foreign aid over the next four years.
Announcing the government would respond to Australia's ballooning credit card bill by almost doubling the borrowing limit to half a trillion dollars, Treasurer Joe Hockey held a 10-minute press conference and took few questions.
The strict control on information being run from the Prime Minister's office - directed by Abbott and his chief of staff Peta Credlin - is causing ructions in the federal public service, responsible for delivering the new government's agenda.
Already rattled by the looming axe that will fall on 12,000 jobs (many within the service doubt that many can be found by natural attrition alone), the public service is doubly rattled by the centralisation of decision-making within the Prime Minister's Office.
Public service sources report at least two ministers have made themselves known to their public servants only by conveying the message, "don't f--- it up".
One section head said: "His [the minister's] office won't tell us much".
"Pretty much all we've heard is, 'I want no f----ups'. No one wants to upset the minister, but he needs to talk to us. There's a lot of confusion, at the EL [middle management] level at least, about what we're meant to be doing. Some of us are doing nothing because we're waiting for answers from the minister."
This, in turn, is affecting the flow of information to the public.
Last week Abbott's department said it would keep secret its first briefing for the Prime Minister because disclosure of its advice would be contrary to the public interest.
At least five departments have now refused outright to release incoming government briefs, while another five have asked for fees of up to $2356 to release the information that previous governments have released.
No rules have changed; the departments are now simply refusing to release them under the same rules that previously applied.
Attorney-General George Brandis' office provided a clue about what's going on. Asked whether Senator Brandis' office had discussed with the Attorney-General's department the handling of FOI requests for its incoming government briefs, it refused to comment.
Asked whether Senator Brandis' office had provided any advice or guidance, written or verbal, to any other departments or agencies or ministerial offices on handling FOI requests for their incoming government briefs, Senator Brandis' office said: "The Attorney-General may, from time to time, provide guidance to the government on the operation of the FOI Act."
And asked whether Brandis supported a recommendation of the recent review of FOI laws by former public servant and diplomat Allan Hawke - that incoming government briefs be exempt from FOI - Brandis' office said: "The government is closely considering all recommendations of the Hawke Review."
Read more: www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/silence-echoes-across-canberra-as-the-coalition-clams-up-20131102-2wt5k.html#ixzz2jXZuYAqM
Controlled quiet is the new code in the capital.
(Selected only).
Since winning office, Abbott has fronted the nation's media just eight times. Calls to his office, and to his ministers, frequently go unanswered or unreturned.
Advertisement
During the week, Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop was a star speaker at the Australian Council for International Development conference in Canberra. The two-day event was open to the public, including the media - except for Bishop's speech. It's understood the media was barred at the request of the minister, who is tasked with enforcing the government's $4.5 billion cut to foreign aid over the next four years.
Announcing the government would respond to Australia's ballooning credit card bill by almost doubling the borrowing limit to half a trillion dollars, Treasurer Joe Hockey held a 10-minute press conference and took few questions.
The strict control on information being run from the Prime Minister's office - directed by Abbott and his chief of staff Peta Credlin - is causing ructions in the federal public service, responsible for delivering the new government's agenda.
Already rattled by the looming axe that will fall on 12,000 jobs (many within the service doubt that many can be found by natural attrition alone), the public service is doubly rattled by the centralisation of decision-making within the Prime Minister's Office.
Public service sources report at least two ministers have made themselves known to their public servants only by conveying the message, "don't f--- it up".
One section head said: "His [the minister's] office won't tell us much".
"Pretty much all we've heard is, 'I want no f----ups'. No one wants to upset the minister, but he needs to talk to us. There's a lot of confusion, at the EL [middle management] level at least, about what we're meant to be doing. Some of us are doing nothing because we're waiting for answers from the minister."
This, in turn, is affecting the flow of information to the public.
Last week Abbott's department said it would keep secret its first briefing for the Prime Minister because disclosure of its advice would be contrary to the public interest.
At least five departments have now refused outright to release incoming government briefs, while another five have asked for fees of up to $2356 to release the information that previous governments have released.
No rules have changed; the departments are now simply refusing to release them under the same rules that previously applied.
Attorney-General George Brandis' office provided a clue about what's going on. Asked whether Senator Brandis' office had discussed with the Attorney-General's department the handling of FOI requests for its incoming government briefs, it refused to comment.
Asked whether Senator Brandis' office had provided any advice or guidance, written or verbal, to any other departments or agencies or ministerial offices on handling FOI requests for their incoming government briefs, Senator Brandis' office said: "The Attorney-General may, from time to time, provide guidance to the government on the operation of the FOI Act."
And asked whether Brandis supported a recommendation of the recent review of FOI laws by former public servant and diplomat Allan Hawke - that incoming government briefs be exempt from FOI - Brandis' office said: "The government is closely considering all recommendations of the Hawke Review."
Read more: www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/silence-echoes-across-canberra-as-the-coalition-clams-up-20131102-2wt5k.html#ixzz2jXZuYAqM
