Ombudsman acts after Seven denied FOI documents
Victoria Police policies will be reviewed after Seven News was refused access to documents under Freedom of Information.
- Published by David Knox
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The Victorian Ombudsman has recommended Victoria Police’s Freedom of Information policies be reviewed after Seven News was refused access to documents under Freedom of Information.
In May 2010 Seven’s Freedom of Information editor Michael McKinnon, together with reporter Louise Milligan, sought access to the evaluation of the Safe Streets Taskforce.
But Victoria Police refused to release access to the documents before the 2010 state election, only releasing partial information immediately afterwards.
The documents were not released in full until January 2011.
The Victorian Ombudsman, George Brouwer, has now recommended Victoria Police apologise to Seven News for a series of errors which led to the delayed release of Freedom of Information documents.
Brouwer criticised Victoria Police for its handling of a Freedom of Information request.
“My investigation… identified poor practices and a less than open Freedom of Information attitude at Victoria Police,” he says.
Seven Melbourne Director of News Steve Carey said, “Seven News is glad that the veil of secrecy has been lifted so that all Victorians know the truth.”
Acting Chief Commissioner Ken Lay has accepted the recommendations.
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3 Responses
Despite Seven’s apparent poor handling of this situation, they should have been granted the Freedom of Information request when they wanted it not after the election, just goes to show that there is something really rotten in our political and law enforcement system. which makes me question is this really a democracy that we are living in, or some sharade. The media should be granted Freedom of Information requests 9 times out of 10 because the media are there to inform the people of what is going on irrespective if the standard of journalism is to be questioned the people still have right to know, seems to me that everyone thought that except the victorian police.
It was at that point that I realised that I was watching commercial ‘news’ and very quickly changed the channel in anticipation of ABC News.
It was an interesting story, but so poorly handled by Seven! A live cross to the reporter at Parliament to tell us the Ombudsmen recommended the Police apologise to Seven News, and that that apology was on its way. Good god.