Secrecy Laws and Open Government in Australia (ALRC Report 112)

Official secrecy has a necessary and proper province in our system of government. A surfeit of secrecy does not.

On 5 August 2008, the Attorney-General of Australia, the Hon Robert McClelland MP, asked the Australian Law Reform Commission to conduct an Inquiry into options for ensuring a consistent approach across government to the protection of Commonwealth information, balanced against the need to maintain an open and accountable government by providing appropriate access to information.

ALRC Report 112 was tabled on 11 March 2010. The report makes 61 recommendations for reform.

This publication is available for purchase in book format.