EFA calls on AG to call off his "war" with the OAIC

Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) has called on the government to adequately resource the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, putting an end to what EFA calls an “absurd war of attrition” with the agency.

The EFA said the government has been starving the agency of funds since announcing plans to shut it in 2014, despite the fact that it is unable to pass its legislation to abolish the office.

Two of the three statutory positions of the office have remained unfilled with long-term appointments, with Timothy Pilgrim currently pulling triple duty as the interim Information Commissioner, Privacy Commissioner and Freedom of Information Commissioner.

Attorney-General George Brandis recently reappointed Pilgrin for a third three-month term as acting Information Commissioner rather than naming a long-term replacement.

Brandis is also currently contesting freedom of information requests related to his diary and his own metadata, the EFA noted.

EFA executive officer Jon Lawrence said this contradicts the Prime Minister’s announcement in November that Australia will be recommitting to the Open Government Partnership.

“The ongoing uncertainty that the government has created in the oversight of privacy and freedom of information must cease immediately,” he said.

“If Prime Minister Turnbull is serious about his commitment to open government, then he must direct the Attorney-General to promptly make long-term appointments to the three statutory officer positions — Information Commissioner, Privacy Commissioner and Freedom of Information Commissioner — as well as to provide proper funding to support these critical roles.”

Image courtesy of Perspecsys Photos under CC