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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Christopher Knaus

Surge in refusals for freedom of information undermines trust in Australian government, watchdog warns

OAIC the Office ofAustralian Information Commissioner
People walk up towards Parliament House surrounded by a thick layer of morning fog in Canberra
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner says it is monitoring the rising refusal rate of freedom of information requests. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

The Australian government is refusing freedom of information requests at a rate not seen for a decade, data shows, prompting concerns for transparency and accountability.

Data held by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, the watchdog overseeing the FoI system, revealed the proportion of FoI requests being completely refused has shot up to 27% in the December 2024 quarter.

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