Improving transparency & accountability to improve democracy

The following is from this week’s news on politics & democracy:

• “Review urges major changes to Australia’s ‘oppressive’ national security secrecy laws”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/dec/01/australia-secrecy-laws-review-national-security-information-act   “A landmark review into “oppressive and unnecessary” national security secrecy laws that allowed a government official to be secretly imprisoned in a Canberra jail has recommended major changes to prevent the “shameful tale” happening again. ... The attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, said he would consider the recommendations but added the government supported the principles of open justice.”   
  

• “‘War crimes whistleblower’ David McBride reveals why he went to the media”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/nov/27/war-crimes-whistleblower-david-mcbride-reveals-why-he-went-to-the-media   “Former military lawyer says he knew Australian defence force ‘wasn’t going to fix itself’ in affidavit obtained by Guardian Australia”   
  

Access to necessary information - even if it is embarrassing to politicians or public servants or others - is essential to ensure that voters are able to make properly informed choices.

There has been along history (centuries, probably - if I get the time & energy, I will try to add a few links about that) of activism leading to improvements on this issue, and Australia has clearly failed to learn from past shameful events. It is encouraging that the Attorney-General has stated that our current government supports the principles of open justice, but this is also a principle of democratic governance, not just punishment for breaking rules: I hope to hear someone in the current government state they support democracy.

 

Assumptions / basis 

In writing this, I have assumed / started from the following: 

• this blog states quite clearly that it is about political and human rights matters, including lived experience of problems, and thus I will assume readers are reasonable people who have noted the content warning in the post header;

Possible flaws 

Where I can, I will try to highlight possible flaws / issues you should consider:

• there may be flawed logical arguments in the above: to find out more about such flaws and thinking generally, I recommend Brendan  Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking”; 
  
• I could be wrong - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.
  

 

If they are of any use of interest, the activism information links from my former news posts are available in this post. 

 

If you appreciated this post, please consider promoting it - there are some links below.

Remember: we need to be more human being rather than human doing, and all misgendering is an act of active transphobia/transmisia that puts trans+ lives at risk.