In an open democracy, there is no rationale for withholding information about National Cabinet’s decisions or any documents these decisions are based on.
The legal decision that national cabinet is not a cabinet means how the body operates, and the decisions it makes, cannot be protected by cabinet confidentiality.
The Morrison government has been dealt a blow with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal ruling national cabinet is not a committee of federal cabinet and therefore is not covered by cabinet confidentiality.
University of Canberra Professorial Fellow Michelle Grattan and University of Canberra Associate Professor Caroline Fisher discuss the week in politics.
All workers in residential aged care facilities will be required to have at least a first COVID vaccination by mid-September under a decision at an emergency national cabinet meeting on Monday.
Scott Morrison will hold twice-weekly meetings of the national cabinet for the “foreseeable future”, as the government battles to get its slow and problem-laden vaccine rollout back on course.
University of Canberra Professorial Fellow Michelle Grattan and University of Canberra Assistant Professor Caroline Fisher discuss the week in politics.
Biosecurity and public health laws have given federal and state governments enormous powers to battle coronavirus. If we’re not careful, though, some powers could remain long after the pandemic.