Senator Nick Michin billed $23,851 for FOI request on National Broadband Network tender

First 6 of 6 paragraphs shown Freedom of information in Australia was certainly not free.
After the Governments' failed National Broadband Network tender, Senator Nick Minchin lodged an FOI, requesting documents.
Government had refused Senate Orders: Previously the government had refused to release any documents, despite two Senate orders to do so. Senator Minchin then received a $23,851 bill to have the request processed.
Democracy as a fragile flower: “Open government guards against corruption. Information keeps governments accountable. But merely saying this does not make it happen”, said Federal Member for Pearce Judi Moylan, LIberal Party, speaking on the Information Commissioner Bill 2009 and the cognate bill, the Freedom of Information Amendment (Reform) Bill 2009”.
Rudd government all talk:? ‘The federal government talks about promoting a culture of transparency, and so far it has been just that talk. Frankly, the Rudd governments record, exposed through the records they must disclose under FOI, has shown transparency diminishing...More and more, the government is withholding information...How can there be debate without information? asked Moylan.
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