WA Liberals hold out the hat to fund $30 freedom of information requests

The WA Liberals are rattling the can to its membership to fund $30 freedom of information searches of ministers and departments, and to equip Liberal staffers with AI research tools in a bid to help the party unearth Cook government secrets.

In an email sent to its membership base on September 9, the party announced it was launching a “Freedom of Information Fighting Fund” where members could donate as little as $30 for a single FOI up to $3900 to send an FOI to all 130 government agencies and departments.

“Governments don’t fear speeches – they fear documents,” the plea reads.

“That’s why we’re launching the Freedom of Information Fighting Fund — a member-powered push to file FOI requests across the Cook Labor Government and its agencies and put the facts into the public domain.

“The Cook Labor Government has shown blatant disregard and contempt for transparency.

“These are your documents. Let’s go get them.”

The email also suggests a $150 donation would allow for a “mini-blitz” on a portfolio or hot issue and $510 to FOI “every minister and premier in one hit”.

A donation of $3600 would also “equip one researcher with AI and analysis tools for a year”.

The pleas come with a promise to keep members updated with what FOI requests were lodged and anything uncovered.

WA Liberals state director Simon Morgan said the money would be used to tackle a secretive Labor government that went out of its way to avoid answering questions in parliament and to the media.

“Labor despises transparency, whether in relation to WA’s hospital system, or pet projects like their Burswood racetrack,” he said.

“The FOI process is one way we can hold them to account and help Western Australians discover how their tax dollars are really being spent by the Cook Labor Government.”

The WA Liberals’ plea comes as the Albanese government flagged changes to the Commonwealth Freedom of Information system, including starting to charge for FOI requests, as most state jurisdictions already do.

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