Speech
Reception for International Conference of Information Commissioners
May I begin by greeting everyone in the languages of the realm of New Zealand - English, Maori, Cook Island Maori, Niuean, Tokelauan and New Zealand Sign Language.
Greetings, Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Taloha Ni and as it is the evening (Sign)
May I specifically acknowledge you, New Zealand's holders of Ombudsman office, Beverley Wakem, Mel Smith and David McGee, Hon Margaret Wilson, Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives; Your Excellency George Fergusson, British High Commissioner to New Zealand; Your Excellency Mara Anglica Arce de Jeannet, Mexican Ambassador; Distinguished Guests otherwise; Ladies and Gentlemen.
On behalf of my wife Susan and myself it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to Government House in Wellington this evening for this reception for the fifth International Conference of Information Commissioners.
Before I begin, I would like to acknowledge New Zealand's Chief Ombudsman, John Belgrave, who is unable to be here this evening due to grave illness.
I would like to take this opportunity, both as Governor-General of New Zealand and as a former Ombudsman, to first welcome you to Wellington and New Zealand, and to speak briefly to the significance of working in the freedom of information jurisdiction.
It is particularly appropriate that New Zealand's Office of the Ombudsmen should host this year's conference as 2007 marks an important milestone for freedom of information in this country, namely, the 25th anniversary of the passage of the Official Information Act 1982.
The Act was the result of the painstaking work of a seven-member committee chaired by University Vice Chancellor Sir Alan Danks and included the Rt Hon Sir Kenneth Keith, who will address the conference by video tomorrow. So thorough was the committee's work that the Bill presented to Parliament strongly mirrored its recommendations.
What is immediately striking about the committee's report is how visionary it was. That it was entitled Towards Open Government rather opting for a safer and more mundane bureaucratic title reflects the members' clear understanding that their work was about more than just law reform, but about improving New Zealand's democracy. As the committee put it, and I quote:
"The case for more openness in government is compelling. It rests on the democratic principles of encouraging participation in public affairs and ensuring the accountability of those in office; it also derives from the concern for the interests of individuals. A no less important consideration is that the Government requires public understanding and support to get its policies carried out. That can come only from an informed public."
The Act was introduced and implemented by the Government led by Sir Robert Muldoon, who has often received unfavourable mention from constitutional lawyers and academics. Indeed, Sir Geoffrey Palmer, who will also address your conference, once said his political career was built upon opposition to Sir Robert's methods of operating the New Zealand constitution. But as Sir Geoffrey may willingly concede, that Government and in particular two Ministers in it, the Hon Jim McLay and the Hon Paul East, can rightly take credit for implementing as far reaching measure.
An examination of the programme for your conference makes clear how important the principles Sir Alan and his committee outlined remain to this day, not just in New Zealand, but in many jurisdictions. While New Zealand celebrates 25 years of freedom of information legislation, that record pales against the time that such laws have existed in Sweden.
The programme also reveals that challenges remain. Some of the challenges are new—such as the growing use of e-communication and implementing FOI regimes in new democracies and developing countries. Others are hardy annuals such as the release of highly sensitive political information and the constant interplay between those who want information released, those who would rather keep it under wraps and those whose role it is to mediate between them.
A key issue is the inclusion of parliaments in FOI regimes. In New Zealand, and in many other countries, the Parliamentary Service Commission and Parliamentary Service are exempt from the provisions of the law. In Scotland, for example, the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body are included, and no doubt delegates will hear more from the Scottish Freedom of Information Commissioner, Kevin Dunion, on this issue. The Speaker of New Zealand's House of Representatives, Hon Margaret Wilson recently called for Parliament to be included under the Official Information Act.
In western countries, access to official information is seen primarily as part of general civil and political rights and enhancing a healthy democracy. But as some of the speakers will outline, openness as a package of governance and accountability reforms is also vital for wider human and economic reform.
So in conclusion, may I welcome you to Wellington again and wish you all the best for the conference. In particular I congratulate the organisers on bringing together such a diverse and fascinating programme that includes contributors of high calibre.
On that note I will close in Maori by issuing greetings and wishing everyone good health and fortitude in your endeavours.
No reira, tena koutou, tena koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tena koutou katoa