Port Stephens Council Supports Open Government During Right to Know Week 2014, 26.09.2014
A media release published on Council’s website today is a public statement it is partnering with the NSW Information & Privacy Commission (IPC) on this ground-breaking event to use legislative building blocks to open the doors to government information “promoting the rights of individuals in NSW to access government information and the importance of open, transparent government.”
Executive Officer Tony Leslie Wickham says Council has increased its focus on access to information in recent years. Such a statement gives the impression the focus is on releasing current strongholds on government information, not tightening that grip................
Wickham states QUOTE “Council has developed several processes and systems over the past five years to ensure information is available to the community within the objectives and scope of the legislation. Plans are in place to further improve the current processes in the future, in particular, accessing information relating to the development applications. Port Stephens are proud to be supporters of Right to Know Week 2014,” UNQOUTE.
On the surface this propaganda appears very encouraging, suggesting Council respects the public’s rights to access NSW government information.
However, the total reverse is actually closer to the truth.
Council records, with Wickham’s name on the documents, attest to him personally making promises and deals with a member of the public to conceal and protect open access information mandated for release, yes mandated, by using the same legislation to set up a false claim development application records should be withheld from public access through a fabricated risk of harm, serious harassment, or serious intimidation.
It certainly is a fantastic way to keep Council’s dirty laundry deep down in the basket!
Doesn’t really sound like a Right to Know Program Champion though, leaving today’s media release false, misleading, disingenuous, and basically a fraud.
Wickham is now documented obstructing access to information, bastardising the access to information legislation, and placing the Council in a serious position of risk and embarrassment the result of his personal actions; not to mention taking the public's monies under false pretences when he's already determined what he will and won't release. Wickham’s media release is here. Wickham’s unlawful agreement with a member of the public in 2012 to conceal and protect open access information mandated for release is here.
Whilst redacted, the email trail speaks for itself with Wickham’s authorship clear; those redactions do protect the favoured individual, but the agreement and set up of a false claim of a risk of harm is indisputable.
Somehow the propaganda and reality don’t match up.
Looks like it’s not what you know but who you know.
Contact: Tony Wickham: Tony.wickham@portstephens.nsw.gov.au
Executive Officer Tony Leslie Wickham says Council has increased its focus on access to information in recent years. Such a statement gives the impression the focus is on releasing current strongholds on government information, not tightening that grip................
Wickham states QUOTE “Council has developed several processes and systems over the past five years to ensure information is available to the community within the objectives and scope of the legislation. Plans are in place to further improve the current processes in the future, in particular, accessing information relating to the development applications. Port Stephens are proud to be supporters of Right to Know Week 2014,” UNQOUTE.
On the surface this propaganda appears very encouraging, suggesting Council respects the public’s rights to access NSW government information.
However, the total reverse is actually closer to the truth.
Council records, with Wickham’s name on the documents, attest to him personally making promises and deals with a member of the public to conceal and protect open access information mandated for release, yes mandated, by using the same legislation to set up a false claim development application records should be withheld from public access through a fabricated risk of harm, serious harassment, or serious intimidation.
It certainly is a fantastic way to keep Council’s dirty laundry deep down in the basket!
Doesn’t really sound like a Right to Know Program Champion though, leaving today’s media release false, misleading, disingenuous, and basically a fraud.
Wickham is now documented obstructing access to information, bastardising the access to information legislation, and placing the Council in a serious position of risk and embarrassment the result of his personal actions; not to mention taking the public's monies under false pretences when he's already determined what he will and won't release. Wickham’s media release is here. Wickham’s unlawful agreement with a member of the public in 2012 to conceal and protect open access information mandated for release is here.
Whilst redacted, the email trail speaks for itself with Wickham’s authorship clear; those redactions do protect the favoured individual, but the agreement and set up of a false claim of a risk of harm is indisputable.
Somehow the propaganda and reality don’t match up.
Looks like it’s not what you know but who you know.
Contact: Tony Wickham: Tony.wickham@portstephens.nsw.gov.au