David Parker
Labour List MP
Shadow Attorney General
MEDIA STATEMENT
23 March 2017
Jones Bill back before Jones
The Bill originally drafted by Shane Jones and designed to help media access government information is back in
Parliament before the man, says Labour’s Shadow Attorney General David Parker.
“My Members’ Bill was drawn today and I inherited it from Mr Jones. It helps the media by enabling the Ombudsman to
charge government departments for delays and breaches of the Official Information Act.
“At the moment, avoidance cannot be effectively policed because of resource constraints in the Ombudsman Office.
“This Bill, if passed, will allow media to access what they need to keep politicians, public officials and government
departments to account.
“Labour believes a healthy democracy is enabled through an unhindered media,” says David Parker.