THE HON MARK DREYFUS QC MP
SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL
SHADOW MINISTER FOR NATIONAL SECURITY
MEMBER FOR ISAACS
TIME'S UP FOR BRANDIS ON DIARY
It has been nearly three years since my office made a simple request for parts of Senator George Brandis's diary.
It has been more than a year since Senator Brandis was told by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal that he must process my request, and six months since Senator Brandis lost an appeal at the Full Court of the Federal Court.
And yet here we are, with not even a decision, let alone a diary.
Last week, I instructed my solicitors to write to the Australian Government Solicitor, to notify Senator Brandis that I intend to take the case back to the Federal Court to seek an order that the diary request be processed on a deadline.
If Senator Brandis does not comply with this order, he will be in contempt of court.
It is ridiculous that this matter has gotten to this stage, with thousands of dollars of taxpayer money wasted. It is only because of Senator Brandis's intransigence.
As Attorney-General, and the minister in charge of the FOI Act, Senator Brandis is meant to uphold and defend the laws of this country, not defy them.
If Senator Brandis thinks he can obfuscate until he is packed off to London, he is sorely mistaken. It is a matter of principle that FOI laws in this country be respected, and Labor will not let Senator Brandis get away with doing otherwise
MONDAY, 13 MARCH 2017
