Today, the government released a review into Australia’s patchwork of a secrecy law system. The proposed changes are a step in the right direction, but there’s so much more work to do.
Packaging excavated radioactive materials at the Hanford site in Washington state.
USDOE
Nuclear weapons production and testing contaminated many sites across the US and exposed people unknowingly to radiation and toxic materials. Some have gone uncompensated for decades.
The Supreme Court held off at least another day before announcing a ruling on abortion rights. High profile cases take more time to finalize, but there are also political and public relations factors.
In an open democracy, there is no rationale for withholding information about National Cabinet’s decisions or any documents these decisions are based on.
Not all tax havens come with fancy resorts and sun-drenched beaches.
Westend61/Getty Images
Pope Francis recently removed a rule known as Pontifical Secrecy, which allowed clergy and church officials to withhold information regarding sexual abuse. Will it make the church truly transparent?
Interviews from a range of sensitive research topics may be at risk. These include immigration, crime and corruption.
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During the Cold War, the US built nuclear weapons at a network of secretive sites across the nation. Some are still heavily polluted and threaten public health today.
Charities that fundraise across Australia – even if just through a website – are burdened with complying with red tape.
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We don’t expect our own government to hack our email – but it’s happening, in secret, and if current court cases go badly, we may never know how often.
Governments directly and indirectly control who is allowed to tell the refugees’ stories of how they are treated in offshore detention.
AAP/Eoin Blackwell
Successive Australian governments have dehumanised refugees and kept Australians in the dark about what really goes on in the offshore detention centres on Nauru and Manus Island.