COAG changes hang in the balance as politicians take aim at Secretary Gaetjens

On Wednesday, a senate committee delivered a report on the government’s COAG amendment bill in support of the law reforms but reading the views of minor party members of the committee, the passage of the bill through the senate is in doubt.

The government was prompted to introduce the bill after an Administrative Appeals Tribunal ruling in August that the national cabinet was not a committee of the federal cabinet — and therefore not exempt from the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 1982.

The Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee was tasked with reviewing the bill proposed by the government, which independent Senator Rex Patrick has described as ‘oversight obstruction efforts’ because he said the amendments were designed to prevent the release of any further national cabinet information under FOI laws. 

According to the government, the changes are essential to maintain the confidentiality of national cabinet affairs to ‘enable full and frank discussions’. 

“The confidentiality of information and decision-making is critical to the effective operations of...