Open Govt political con job

“In a clear case of “believe what I do not what I say” after months of claiming a new age of government transparency, the Rudd Government have called in the cops on the public service after two damaging leaks”, Christopher Pyne, Shadow Minister for Justice and Border Protection said today.

“Before the election, Kevin Rudd promised a new era in public service independence, open and transparent government and protection for whistleblowers,"" Mr Pyne said.

“As with many of his promises, the reality in government has been quite different. This week the police have been called in to investigate leaks – a move that is clearly intimidatory,"" he said.

“It certainly doesn’t fit with his pre-election rhetoric.

“In the government’s formal announcement of its programme for government, the Governor-General’s speech to the Parliament on February 12 this year, they announced:

“Laws relating to government information will be enhanced by promoting a culture of disclosure and transparency.”

“The practice in government couldn’t be further from this noble ambition – no Freedom of Information Commissioner has been appointed, the police are being called in on the public service, the media are being controlled and starved of information, the government is being less than forthcoming with Freedom of Information requests, advice is being ignored and yesterday the public service was accused of being lazy!"" Mr Pyne said.

“Kevin Rudd’s promises seem to be just another case of saying what was needed before the election to get elected and then doing whatever he feels like in government,"" he said.

“This week the Rudd Government has demonstrated that’s its pre-election promises about how it would govern weren’t worth a tinker’s cuss.”

This government’s hypocrisy is exposed in the attached excerpts from Kevin Rudd’s and Wayne Swan’s speeches and media on the subject of the whistleblowers, transparency, taking advice, and independent public service.

Rudd/Swan Quotes

On Whistleblowers

“On the question of whistle-blowers, I’m disturbed and very disturbed indeed about a number of matters which are currently on foot and we’ll be looking at that in great detail as well in the period ahead.”

Rudd, Doorstop, 11 May 2007

“I think the time has come for Australia to debate the need for national whistleblowers’ protection legislation, and in principle, I support that. On the detail of the individual case, I won’t go into that. But can I just say I think there is a time now in the nation to have effective whistleblowers’ protection nationwide. Where you have individual public servants who are seeking to do a public duty, and have tried internally to warn government of whichever political persuasion about a particular set of facts which go to an area of genuine public interest and national interest, we need to have a system of laws which provides proper protection for that. On the detail of that, we’ll have something further to say between now and the election.

Rudd, Press Conference, 27 June 2007

On Accountability

Mr Rudd - When these uncomfortable questions are asked of the government, they wish to engage in all sorts of feigned outrage as if these things have never happened, that Mr Koutsoukis made all that up, that Hedley Thomas made all that up. The bare minimum level of accountability is to have, in fact, an answer to these questions. House Hansard, 20 September, 2007

“We were elected on the basis of providing new leadership for the country. We said also that we intended to be upfront with the Australian people. That means, upfront about the commitments we made prior to the election. Upfront about our implementation of those commitments. And up front in our accountability to the Australian people about what progress we made. “

Rudd, Press Conference, 29 February 2008

On an Independent Public Service

“Today I want to discuss seven elements of the Government’s vision for the future Australian public service:

1. Reinvigorating the Westminster tradition of an independent public service with merit-based selection processes

and continuity of employment when governments change;

2. Building a professionalised public service committed to excellence;

3. Developing evidence-based policy making processes as part of a robust culture of policy contestability;

4. Enhancing the strategic policy capability of the public service;

5. Strengthening the integrity and accountability of government;

6. Broadening participation in government through inclusive policy processes, and

7. A contemporary view of government service delivery that emphasises both efficiency and effectiveness in outcomes.”

Rudd, Address to Public Service, Great Hall, 30 April 2008

“We cannot afford a public service culture where all you do is tell the Government what you think the Government wants to hear. We cannot afford second-best policy responses to the challenges of climate change, the competitive challenge from the rise of India and China or the need for reform of the Federation. The Government must receive the best advice, based on the best available information and evidence. Public servants will not give frank and fearless advice if they think their career prospects or the continuity of their employment rest on them simply echoing a Government’s own prejudices.”

Rudd, Address to Public Service, Great Hall, 30 April 2008

“Finally we are committed to new ways of governing – strengthening our independent public institutions (including the APS) and how we can make government more open, accountable and responsive to the needs of the Australian community.”

Rudd, Address to Public Service, Great Hall, 30 April 2008

“Second, after nearly a decade in office he (Howard) presides over a compliant public service whose independence, contestability and professionalism have been severely compromised. Anyone looking for evidence of this proposition need look no further than the Senate Inquiry into Children Overboard and the complicity of the Australian Public Service and certain senior elements of the Australian Defence Force in prosecuting the political interests of the government.”

Rudd, The Case for Cooperative Federalism, 15/07/2005

“First, unlike other competitor economies, Australia has failed to establish a national emissions trading system because for short-term political reasons the advice of key public service advisers was ignored.”

In relation to climate change, Rudd, Meeting the Challenges of Australia’s Future, 14/05/2007

JOURNALIST: Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser have jointly written an open letter which is going to be published in the newspapers around the country tomorrow. They are calling on what ever party wins Government to establish an independent review of ministerial accountability. Would you commit to (inaudible)?

RUDD: I’d really like to see what they write first. But can I say on the overall question of ministerial accountability, if we win this next election I want to restore Westminster. I’ve said so in recent interviews, I think I was interviewed on this the other night on Lateline. I’m quite passionate about it as it affects both ministerial accountability and responsibility but also the independent role of the public service. I’ll look carefully at what Malcolm and Gough have to say and I’ll comment on that once I’ve seen the text.

Rudd, 11/11/2007, Doorstop

“I’ve already indicated that I want to see a wider role for the Treasury in driving the policy agenda, policy reform agenda, of the Government which I will lead further into the future. I’m serious about that statement. Treasury has been an underutilised resource in the past. I want it seen to be brought to the centre stage of what this Government does in the future. We cannot afford to fall behind when it comes to national economic reform and I intend to harness the full resources and capabilities the Treasury in so doing.”

Rudd, Press Conference, Parliament House, Canberra, 29 November 2007

RUDD: The driving agenda for Commonwealth-State relations is located within both the Prime Minister’s portfolio and the Treasury portfolio and I’ve indicated in my statements, I think the last couple of days about the central role for Treasury. I believe Treasury has been too much marginalised to be blunt, when it comes to the Commonwealth-State agenda and frankly I think that’s one of the reasons why it never worked well. Therefore, that’s where the core action must occur. Remember, the existing national reform agenda under COAG is a half reasonable agenda. It’s just it died. It didn’t go anywhere.

Rudd, Press Conference, Parliament House, Canberra, 29 November 2007

“The reason we have this document I believe, is pretty simple. There is a deep concern in the public service, with the lack of a third term agenda from this government and really a deep distress amongst principled public servants at the political game-playing that the Prime Minister and his Ministers engage in, comes at the expense of hard-working Australian families, who are pressed for time and financially pressed. They ought to be the people that this document is directed to and sadly they’re not.”

Swan talking about cabinet documents leaked to him, Press Release, 28/03/2004

“It’s been very apparent in a series of announcements from Canberra that the long-standing processes of government advice and consideration are increasingly being disregarded by this government. This is true in systems acquisitions in defence, in water, climate change, and workplace laws. There are instances where detailed Treasury advice has not been sought, or has been disregarded. That is bad management. Treasury has some of the best minds in the country, and as the Canberra Times recently observed, the Australian people deserve to have the important decisions made using the benefit of their expertise. We will restore a sound cabinet process in which Treasury advice is sought, considered, valued and used.”

Swan, Building Prosperity for the Next Decade, 15/03/2007

On Freedom of Information/Disclosure

RUDD: I think the debate that’s now begun on press freedom is an important debate. Let me say this in clear-cut terms: I believe the Government has used and abused Freedom of Information laws and I believe that’s it gone too far and we need to start pushing it back in the other direction.

Rudd, Doorstop, 11 May 2007

RUDD: But I have also said repeatedly throughout this campaign that I believe in accountability. I’ve said, if you’ve read clearly the text we put out to the Australian people on our views on press freedom, that we think the balance at present, for example, on Freedom of Information has gone wrong. Therefore, for example, we have a policy now to abolish conclusive certificates - something which has been near and dear to the heart of various journalists here not just in the last few days but across the last few years. So consistent with that determination to be accountable, I am prepared to accept the challenge that you've laid down. And to repeat the challenge so you don't think that I'm squibbing it, that if we are elected, that subsequent to a Cabinet meeting, I would present or the relevant ministers would present, for an appropriate press conference to be accountable to you the ladies and gentlemen of the press.

Rudd, Address to the National Press Club, 21 November 2007

“The Government will also be enhancing the culture of transparency in government through reforms to Freedom of Information laws, including the abolition of conclusive certificates and the creation of a Freedom of Information Commissioner.”

Rudd, Address to Public Service, Great Hall, 30 April 2008

KEVIN RUDD: I'm determined to do something about freedom of information. This is notoriously seen as something that executive governments don't like because it causes information to go out which might be embarrassing. I'd like to, by contrast, encourage a culture of disclosure within government departments.

KERRY O'BRIEN: That of course can turn around very quickly to bite you and others have made promises like that and then recanted when they've seen how much potential it has to hurt.

KEVIN RUDD: I understand that but a lot of the bite is in the shock value of a leaked document which every newspaper editor salivates for and not to mention people who present programs like yours.

Rudd, 7:30 Report, 27 November 2007

“The Australian Government is committed to greater access to freedom of information, effective parliamentary reform and removing as many dysfunctional dimensions to the Australian Federation as possible.“

Rudd, Press Release, 3 February 2008

Media contact: Adam Howard 0400 414 833