Has Freedom of Information Increased Government Accountability?

Author(s):  
Robert Hazell ◽  
Ben Worthy ◽  
Mark Glover
Public Law ◽  
2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Elliott ◽  
Robert Thomas

This chapter examines the accountability of the central government to Parliament. It addresses questions such as: what is Parliament’s proper role in scrutinising government? What does the constitutional convention of ministerial responsibility mean? And how does it operate in practice? The chapter also considers topics of particular importance to government accountability: freedom of information, accountability of the security and intelligence services, and financial accountability.


Public Law ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 418-486
Author(s):  
Mark Elliott ◽  
Robert Thomas

This chapter examines the accountability of the central government to Parliament. It addresses questions such as: what is Parliament’s proper role in scrutinising government? What does the constitutional convention of ministerial responsibility mean? And how does it operate in practice? The chapter also considers topics of particular importance to government accountability: freedom of information, accountability of the security and intelligence services, and financial accountability.


2013 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 493
Author(s):  
Nadia Ardalich

The National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) is charged with promoting occupational health and safety and responsible environmental management in the offshore petroleum industry and ensuring industry compliance with the relevant commonwealth legislation. For NOPSEMA to exercise these functions effectively and transparently, sharing information through industry experience is integral. Although NOPSEMA already publishes widely–including guidance material, industry performance data, and safety alerts–it is working towards increasing publication of more detailed and specific industry information, such as enforcement notices. Government regulators publishing industry information of this kind is not new in Australia or overseas and is often used by regulators as a tool for promoting industry compliance. Communicating and sharing information with industry and the public are important activities of governments. Information sharing can expand knowledge, enable innovation, enhance government accountability and transparency, and even save lives by learning from others' experiences. Recently, the Australian Government has shown a deeper commitment through changes to the Freedom of Information Act 1982, making government information more accessible and open to the public. This extended abstract discusses the benefits of increasing publication of industry information to promote NOPSEMA's functions and objectives for delivering a safe and environmentally responsible offshore petroleum industry.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Bannister ◽  
Anna Olijnyk

Author(s):  
Kevin M. Baron

Executive privilege (EP) as a political tool has created a grey area of constitutional power between the legislative and executive branches. By focusing on the post-WWII political usage of executive privilege, this research utilizes a social learning perspective to examine the power dynamics between Congress and the president when it comes to government secrecy and public information. Social learning provides the framework to understand how the Cold War's creation of the modern American security state led to a paradigm shift in the executive branch. This shift altered the politics of the presidency and impacted relations with Congress through extensive use of EP and denial of congressional requests for information. When viewed through a social learning lens, the institutional politics surrounding the development of the Freedom of Information Act is intricately entwined with EP as a political power struggle of action-reaction between the executive and legislative branches. Using extensive archival research, this historical analysis examines the politics surrounding the modern use of executive privilege from Truman through Nixon as an action-reaction of checks on power from the president and Congress, where each learns and responds based on the others previous actions. The use of executive privilege led to the Freedom of Information Act showing how policy can serve as a congressional check on executive power, and how the politics surrounding this issue influence contemporary politics.


2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen Betts ◽  
Bill Welsh ◽  
Kelly Hermann ◽  
Cheryl Pruitt ◽  
Gaeir Dietrich ◽  
...  

Approximately 11% of all postsecondary students reported having a disability in 2008. Although the percentage of students with disabilities in 2008 closely reflects the percentage reported in 2004, the U.S. Government Accountability Office states that recent legislative changes have the potential to increase the diversity and number of students with disabilities pursing higher education. To support students with disabilities enrolled in higher education and in online learning, it is important to understand disabilities and the resources students need to actively engage in their courses and to achieve their academic goals. This article includes collaborative responses from a diverse group of leaders at eight higher education institutions and organizations who work with disability services and have experience in online learning. Some of the contributors also have disabilities so the collective responses build upon research, professional experience, and personal experience. For this article, the ten contributors answered 20 questions regarding disabilities and online student success as well as provided recommended practices. This article is designed to be interactive. It includes screenshots, simulation links, video demonstrations, and resources to provide a more detailed understanding of disabilities, accessibility, and support resources. JALN readers are encouraged to interact with the simulations and to watch the demonstration videos as a way to learn more about disabilities and supporting online student success.


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