Monday, 3 November 2008

When is national security public information not public information?

When is public information not public information?
Why, when it's posted on the
Attorney-General's website of course.
This site would make Sir Humphrey Appleby proud.
After declaring the National Security Public Information Guideline as being "not publicly available" it goes on to provide a helpful link to a pdf of this document.


"The Branch also has responsibility for reviewing and updating the
National Counter-Terrorism Plan (www.nationalsecurity.gov.au), National Counter-Terrorism Handbook and oversees (with Public Affairs) the National Security Public Information Guidelines. The National Counter-Terrorism Handbook and National Security Public Information Guideline are not publicly available documents." (my bolding)

What is interesting in all this is just how determined the Prime Minister is to keep national security in his own bailiwick - four of the five committees dealing with national security and terrorism are chaired either by Kevin Rudd, the Secretary of the Dept. of Prime Minister and Cabinet or a senior official from that department.
It appears that our Kev just can't bear the thought of some other pollie taking credit for any work done on these matters.

National Security Public Information Guideline
here.
National Counter-Terrorism Plan (with October 2008 amendments)
here.

Just for fun here's a few updates on Australia's own terrorist watch list:
DFAT consolidated list of 540 individuals and terrorist groups
here. Interestingly it notes that Osama Bin Laden is now an Afghan citizen and (although many convicted individuals are listed) the much maligned David Hicks is nowhere to be found.
ANS terrorist group list
here.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

In classifying information, the public's interest in access to government information must be balanced against the need to protect national security .The information presented on Air Force Link is considered public information and authorized law enforcement investigations.

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