Former freedom of information commissioner Leo Hardiman has made explosive allegations in the Senate about his former agency and its most senior leader, saying his efforts to solve a vast FoI backlog were deliberately frustrated, after voicing concerns publicly, and that a false narrative about the agency’s funding constraints was presented to the federal court to defend extraordinary delays in its work.
Falk, who appeared before the committee hours later on Tuesday afternoon, said she took issue with a number of Hardiman’s comments but said she had “very limited opportunity to consider the matters” aired by her former colleague and needed a “reasonable opportunity to respond”.
