Article-Changes to bring clarity; Opposition to face diary disclosures

November 10, 2025

Mercury | 10 November 2025; pg 6.

Changes to bring clarity

Opposition to face diary disclosures

Sue Bailey

All Tasmanian opposition shadow ministers may have to join government ministers in having to reveal timely details of meetings with external stakeholders under proposed changes to the disclosure of ministerial diaries.

The government has been under fire from Independent member for Nelson in the Legislative Council, Meg Webb, who has described the current system of releasing details as “farcical and flawed” and “an exercise in deliberate obfuscation and performative faux transparency”.

The Legislative Council in September supported her motion – the third in three years – calling for reform of the current disclosure of ministerial diaries to improve and strengthen the current system “to make it more timely, accessible and
transparent”.

“Tasmanians deserve better, more comprehensive, rigorous and reliable transparency and accountability mechanisms to build community confidence in political decision-making,” Ms Webb said at the time.

The current system is only for government ministers, is not mandatory and is done every three months.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff will release a discussion paper on Monday and wants Tasmanians to say how they believe ministerial diaries should be disclosed.

The discussion paper outlines a series of proposed changes including the mandatory publication of all ministerial meetings with external stakeholders, improved timeliness and accessibility and the extension of disclosure requirements to opposition and shadow ministers.

Mr Rockliff said the Ministerial Diaries and Routine Disclosures discussion paper formed part of the government’s ongoing commitment to strengthening transparency, accountability and public trust in government decision-making.

“Ministerial diaries provide a valuable insight into how elected officials engage with stakeholders and make decisions that affect the Tasmanian community,” he said. “Enhancing the transparency of these records is an important step in ensuring that government remains open, accountable, and responsive to the public.

“We are working together to move our state forward, and I encourage all Tasmanians to have their say and help shape an even more transparent and accountable government.”

He said the government was making “broader efforts to embed a culture of openness across the public sector”.

The discussion paper and details on making a submission are available at: dpac.tas.gov.au

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