More innovation from the most open and transparent Government ever

Newshub reports:

A Ministerial Advisory group met once, noted its meeting minutes were subject to the Official Information Act (OIA), then stopped taking minutes in further meetings.

Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Minister Clare Curran set up the Ministerial Advisory Group in February to investigate establishing a Public Media Funding Commission.

Documents released to Opposition MP Melissa Lee under the OIA show the group decided to “not keep minutes for its further meetings” after meeting for the first time on 27 February.

The minutes for that February meeting show early on in the meeting, “The MAG (Ministerial Advisory Group) noted it is subject to the Official Information Act.”

This is pretty amazing. They have a first meeting and note they are subject to the OIA. They then resolve to not keep any minutes of further meetings, to avoid anyone asking for them under the OIA!

And this is all happening in the portfolio of the Minister for Open Government!

A competent Minister would instruct them to follow the OIA and keep minutes of their meeting. Especially as they are working in such a sensitive area as broadcasting funding.