Transparency Case Studies Focus Areas Natasha Bodden Policy Analyst FOI Unit June 2009

Current Trends & Change Areas Government Expenses Government Expenses Budget and Expenditure Budget and Expenditure Timelines and Required Training Timelines and Required Training Proactive disclosures / publications Proactive disclosures / publications Ending the “Culture of Secrecy” Ending the “Culture of Secrecy” Openness in Courts Openness in Courts Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers Awards Awards

Government Expenses California California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed an executive order furthering commitment to government transparency California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed an executive order furthering commitment to government transparency Under the order, all state contracts valued at $5,000 or more will be posted online Under the order, all state contracts valued at $5,000 or more will be posted online Additionally, all Travel Expense Claims, Internal and External Audits and other Economic Interests are to be published Additionally, all Travel Expense Claims, Internal and External Audits and other Economic Interests are to be published

Government Expenses UK Since The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph began publishing the details of MPs' expenses, more than £100,000 of claims have been paid back Since The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph began publishing the details of MPs' expenses, more than £100,000 of claims have been paid back A total of 12 MPs have declared they will stand down at the next election and the Speaker of the House has quit. (300 years) A total of 12 MPs have declared they will stand down at the next election and the Speaker of the House has quit. (300 years)

Office funds and Salaries USA House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that the House will soon start posting online quarterly records of how members use their personal office funds, giving watchdog groups a chance to examine staff salaries and other spending by members of Congress House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that the House will soon start posting online quarterly records of how members use their personal office funds, giving watchdog groups a chance to examine staff salaries and other spending by members of Congress

Budget & Expenditure Brazil On the Government’s website there are: Regular Audit Reports, Random Audit Reports and Special Audit Reports On the Government’s website there are: Regular Audit Reports, Random Audit Reports and Special Audit Reports On each Ministry’s website there are Annual Account Audit Reports On each Ministry’s website there are Annual Account Audit Reports Transparency Portal (webpage) provides info on: Transparency Portal (webpage) provides info on: – –Resources applied directly by the federal departments – –Federal resources transferred from the federal level to states and municipalities – –Federal resources transferred directly to citizens – –Transactions on the Federal Government's Purchase Card

Transfers Direct Spending Punished Firms Budget year By state/county spending categories Transfers to citizens

Shortening Timelines & Annual Training The General Assembly approved significant improvements to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, which applies to all 7,000-plus public bodies in the state. If signed by Gov. Pat Quinn, the new law: The General Assembly approved significant improvements to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, which applies to all 7,000-plus public bodies in the state. If signed by Gov. Pat Quinn, the new law: –Shortens the time that public bodies have to respond to a FOIA request from seven days to five. If they miss that deadline, they cannot charge for copies –Shortens the time that public bodies can request an extension from seven days to five. If they miss that deadline, they cannot cite the exemption that the request is unduly burdensome –Requires all public bodies to appoint FOIA officers who must receive annual training on compliance with the act

Proactive Disclosure Health Services – UK The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office has sent formal warning notices to several NHS organisations The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office has sent formal warning notices to several NHS organisations Assistant Commissioner said “By proactively disclosing official information, the NHS may help to reduce the number of requests received and also enable individuals to phrase requests more clearly. NHS organisations are public bodies and it is right that the public has a right to know what official information these organisations hold.” Assistant Commissioner said “By proactively disclosing official information, the NHS may help to reduce the number of requests received and also enable individuals to phrase requests more clearly. NHS organisations are public bodies and it is right that the public has a right to know what official information these organisations hold.”

Proactive Publications Restaurant Inspections – Australia The NSW Food Authority publishes lists of businesses that have breached or are alleged to have breached NSW food safety laws The NSW Food Authority publishes lists of businesses that have breached or are alleged to have breached NSW food safety laws Publishing the lists gives consumers more information to make decisions about where they eat or buy food Publishing the lists gives consumers more information to make decisions about where they eat or buy food The “Name and Shame” list is updated weekly The “Name and Shame” list is updated weekly

Proactive Publications School Inspection Reports Ireland Inspection Reports for all schools are published annually on the website Inspection Reports for all schools are published annually on the website Why? To: Why? To: –Acknowledge and affirm good practice in schools –Provide assurance of quality in the education system –Id areas for development –Ensure a wider dissemination of good practice in and among schools –Promote greater accountability and transparency

Ending the Culture of Secrecy UK The former Lord Chancellor wants an end to off- the-record briefings and a relaxation of Cabinet collective responsibility The former Lord Chancellor wants an end to off- the-record briefings and a relaxation of Cabinet collective responsibility “The public will demand that policy-making and public life was conducted in the open and no longer in dark corners. That will improve the quality of policy decisions and strengthen democracy.” “The public will demand that policy-making and public life was conducted in the open and no longer in dark corners. That will improve the quality of policy decisions and strengthen democracy.” This misguided belief among many MPs that they could win the secrecy battle was followed by “comprehensive defeat” and the result is “very significant damage to Parliament” because people no longer trust politicians! This misguided belief among many MPs that they could win the secrecy battle was followed by “comprehensive defeat” and the result is “very significant damage to Parliament” because people no longer trust politicians!

Openness in Courts Iowa and NY Senators have introduced legislation to allow federal trial and appellate judges to permit cameras in the courtroom Iowa and NY Senators have introduced legislation to allow federal trial and appellate judges to permit cameras in the courtroom “Letting the sun shine in on federal courtrooms will give Americans an opportunity to better understand the judicial process,” they said “Letting the sun shine in on federal courtrooms will give Americans an opportunity to better understand the judicial process,” they said “The bill goes to the heart of an open, transparent government … it’s just the best way to maintain confidence and accountability in the system and help judges do a better job” “The bill goes to the heart of an open, transparent government … it’s just the best way to maintain confidence and accountability in the system and help judges do a better job”

Pollutant Release & Transfer Registers In recent years, the public's "right to know" has moved to the forefront of environmental policy making In recent years, the public's "right to know" has moved to the forefront of environmental policy making The OECD is supporting governments' response by helping them develop databases of releases and transfers of pollutants to the environment, called “PRTR’s” The OECD is supporting governments' response by helping them develop databases of releases and transfers of pollutants to the environment, called “PRTR’s”

Pollutant Release & Transfer Registers Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers generally have these defining characteristics: Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers generally have these defining characteristics: reporting on individual chemicals reporting on individual chemicals by individual industrial facilities by individual industrial facilities on all releases and transfers on all releases and transfers to all environmental media (air, water, land) to all environmental media (air, water, land) periodically periodically with consistently structured data with consistently structured data entered into a computer database entered into a computer database actively disseminated to the public actively disseminated to the public with limited data withheld as trade secrets with limited data withheld as trade secrets with the aim to improve environmental quality and promote cleaner technology with the aim to improve environmental quality and promote cleaner technology

Rosemary Award Given annually during Sunshine Week by the National Security Archive at George Washington University Given annually during Sunshine Week by the National Security Archive at George Washington University Recognizes outstandingly bad responsiveness to the public department that flouts the letter and spirit of the Freedom of Information Act Recognizes outstandingly bad responsiveness to the public department that flouts the letter and spirit of the Freedom of Information Act The FBI won the fifth annual The FBI won the fifth annual Rosemary Award for the worst Freedom of Information Act performance by a federal agency FBI’s reports to Congress show that the Bureau is unable to find any records in response to 67% of its incoming FOIA requests on average over the past four years (the other major government agencies averaged only a 13% “no records found” response) FBI’s reports to Congress show that the Bureau is unable to find any records in response to 67% of its incoming FOIA requests on average over the past four years (the other major government agencies averaged only a 13% “no records found” response)