As Queensland and NSW forge ahead with expanding meeting diary requirements, why is the federal government refusing to do the basics?
The states that already allow their citizens to have some idea of what their highly paid ministers are doing are extending that transparency, yet resistance to meeting diaries continues elsewhere.
Queensland and NSW have ministerial meeting diary requirements in place and have done so for some years — as has the ACT. And both states are extending their requirements in the wake of integrity investigations. In response to the Yearbury review, Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced an overhaul of Queensland’s lobbying rules, including requiring ministerial meeting diaries to identify the reasons for meetings with lobbyists, and requiring the leader of the opposition to provide a meeting diary.
The Queensland government is also implementing the recommendations of the Coaldrake review, which will include releasing cabinet documents after 30 days. Currently it’s 30 years.
Read more about the need to push for ministerial diary reform at the federal level.
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