Exposing Carpenter's Secret DIA(bolical?) Report

Challenge for new FOI Commissioner Lightowlers

A test is looming for John Lightowlers the new Freedom of Information (FOI) Commissioner when he makes the decision, whether or not to release the Report into the Department of Indigenous Affairs (DIA). The Minister for Transparent Government Alan Carpenter wants the report kept secret. Not that the decision is yet before Lightowlers, but the Desert Rat has sniffed the air and knows of at least two FOI applications that are on foot on this subject. Both have been refused after a review by Eileen McCaffrey, one of the myriad of managers in the Department of Premier & Cabinet (P&C).

The decision to review the DIA was a diversion and part of the spin at the time. It was quickly hatched during the embarrassing publicity about child abuse and neglect, inadequate housing, truancy and lawlessness in Halls Creek exposed by journalist Steve Pennells of "The West Australian'. Although the inquiry was announced as a diversion to make the Gallop Government look as though it was taking action; examining its departmental and policy failures in Indigenous affairs, it did allow critics of the Gallop-Carpenter policy vacuum in Indigenous affairs and put forward ideas of reform.

Submissions were lodged, but no acknowledgement letters received. Has courtesy been banned in P&C? The Report was duly handed to the Premier by Dawn Casey the Indigenous chairperson and head bonecatcher at the WA Museum. Apparently grumpy Carpenter doesn't like it and is being precious and won't release it.

Eileen McCaffrey an organisational boffin in P&C, who has been on the public service merry-go-round on a salary level up in the clouds has told the public stickybeaks that they can't have it. It appears she thinks the report may be a threat to Cabinet solidarity - heaven forbid! She invokes an exemption that maintains that because the report has been to Cabinet she needs to protect confidential discussions in Cabinet and consultations between Ministers.

Well, interested citizens have only asked for the report, not a 'big brother' transcript of the factional infighting between Cabinet ministers discussing how to banish poor Dawn Casey's report from the house - without a public vote.

The next hoop the applicants have to jump through, is an Internal Review of Eileen McCaffrey's decision to refuse release of the report. This will be done by another P&C apparachik with an even higher salary - above the clouds. We already know what the answer will be, so that why it's headed for our new Independent 'Acting' Commissioner John Lightowlers.

This will be an interesting Catch 22 test for Mr Lightowlers. If he releases the report - he's an independent good guy but won't be in the acting position for long. If he refuses then maybe our worst fear could be confirmed.

Carpenter's decision not to release the report is and affront to all those who made submissions and contributed to the review process, believing it to be an open inquiry whose report would be made public. Carpenter has demonstrated that he is bereft of any ideas or initiative in Aboriginal affairs and is going to make dam sure that Dawn Casey's, and no-one elses ideas for that matter , are going to see the light of day. His own record is one of abject failure in every area of Indigenous policy. More on that later.