Action on ‘closed doors’

Press, 27 November 1986, Page 6

Action on ‘closed doors’

PA Wellington Legislation designed to stop local authorities conducting much business at their meetings behind closed doors was introduced in Parliament last evening. The Local Government Official Information and Meetings Bill also extends the principles of the Official Information Act to local government.

The Minister of Local Government, Dr Bassett, said some local authorities had observed the Public Bodies Meetings Act "more in the breach.”

They would go into committee — a process which meant the press and public had to leave a meeting — whenever they felt like it, he told Parliament.

The bill would mean that the decision to go into committee could, in the last resort, be subject to review by the Ombudsman.

A person would be able to request a copy of the full minutes of a meeting. Refusal to supply those minutes would amount to a refusal to supply official information. The bill also extended qualified privilege to

statements made at local body meetings, provided they were made without malice.

Dr Bassett said the bill would provide the same level of access to official information held by local bodies as the public enjoyed with the central Government. The central Government had “bitten the bullet” in 1982, and it was now the turn of local government. National’s spokesman on justice, Mr Jim McLay, said the Opposition backed the bill’s principles and would support its introduction.