POLITICAL STAFF
FOI For Political Staff
“In Canberra I feel like a member of a football team which never plays at home – the public servants have collectively about 85% of the information and we have about 15% – much of which is acquired from leaks and newspaper reports.”
The Hon Barry Jones AC, 27 February, 1979
FOI can give opposition, minor party and independent politicians an edge when it comes to oversight of government. It can be used with other parliamentary tools such as questions without notice, questions on notice, inquires, orders for production and media strategies to great effect.
In some jurisdictions FOI is free for serving MPs, but the bureaucratic obstacles remain.
The TRANSPARENCY WARRIOR conducts a one day training course for politicians and their staff, tailored to the MP’s electorate.
Ongoing hands on support is available after the training has occurred.
FOI Training
Training
TRANSPARENCY WARRIOR provides FOI training to politicians and their staff. This training is conducted in electoral offices around Australia. Training covers off on Federal FOI legislation and the legislation in the State or Territory the politician represents and the Federal jurisdiction.
The training is scheduled over a single day.
Training notes are provided to each student.
Ongoing Support
Telephone support will be provided to personnel that have attended the training as they progress their first FOI requests through the process.
Training Outline
- FOI Objectives
- Legislation around the Commonwealth
- Outline of Federal Legislation
- Outline of State or Territory Legislation (tailored to the local jurisdiction)
- The Process, and the fight
- Exemptions, and the case law
- Writing submissions and appearing at hearings
- Integrating FOI into Parliamentary Work
Pricing
Training for the day is charged at $1,650 for an office, plus travel expenses and per diem as per standard government rates. It may be possible for TRANSPARENCY WARRIOR to deliver training to staff from multiple offices through the same course, subject to mutually agreeable scope, timing and rates.