India: The Central Information Commission compiles a “frequently asked questions” list for 70 central ministries. “The Commission is now sitting down with each ministry to brief them on how to proactively disclose information on their websites on these subjects so that fewer applicants file requests under Right to Information (RTI) Act,” reports The Economic Times.
FOI Comics: Myf Nixon of My Society writes about two Finnish comic book artists who have published a graphic novel on the origins of FOI in Sweden and established an online fundraiser for them.
Open Data: Joshua Masinde writes in Quartz: “More African governments are enacting open data policies but still aren’t willing to share information.”
Nigeria: There is need for a top-down approach in the implementation of the right to information Act, according to lawyer Sandra Ochola. “In particular, public servants must be made aware of their obligations to citizens and the CAJ must be adequately staffed and resourced to carry out its mandate.”
Australia: “Information access evolution: assessing Freedom of Information reforms in Australia,” an article by Johan Lidberg, a professor of Monash University, reviews FOI laws in Australia. The question posed in this article is “have the Australian FOI reforms made a difference in practice?” South Australia comes out the worst. See that includes links to related articles and full article.
United Nations: In an Internews article about safety for journalists, reporter Thalif Deen includes an interesting quote from UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq when asked about FOI for the UN itself: “The secretary-general supports the idea of transparency. But this would be an issue for member states.”
United States: “FOIA Litigation Costs For Justice and Agencies Could Not Be Fully Determined,” according to a GAO report.
United States: Forty journalism and open government groups sent a letter to White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest in response to his recent New York Times letter to the editor calling for journalists to give President Obama credit for improvements in government transparency, the Society of Professional Journalists says.
United States: Branko Marcetic in VOX continues the debate on FOIA and emails, writing an article, “Liberal Pundits Once Championed Government Transparency—Then Hillary Clinton Ran For President.” He says, “Matt Yglesias and Kevin Drum have suddenly come out against open government, betraying a long journalistic legacy.” Freedominfo.org last week summarized the series of articles.
OGP: The OGP issues a handbook on the advantages of having a multi-stakeholder forum– a structured environment designed to maximize participation and cooperation between government and civil society by bringing relevant partners into the discussion and ensuring that all voices are heard.
Australia: FOI and refugees, an issue examined in a Conversation article, beginning: “How did one of the world’s most-successful multicultural countries made up of refugees and immigrants end up harming children who came to us seeking protection and help? One of the answers to this question is secrecy.” It later reports: “Successive Australian governments, both Labor and Coalition, have dehumanised refugees and kept Australians in the dark about what really goes on in the offshore detention centres on Nauru and Manus Island.” It says that government use of outside contractors “adds another layer of complexity to using FOI effectively.”
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