PM Transcripts

FOR MEDIA 8 MAY 1979
TASK FORCE ON1 DEPARTMENTAL INFORMATION
The Prime Minister has written to State Premiers seeking
their co-operation in a study of the way Government Departments
provide information to groups and individuals in the community.
Mr Fraser said he was writing to the Premiers because many
of the problems and issues of concern to the Commonwealth
Government in this area also confronted State Government
departments. State Governments had adopted a range of different approaches
to the question of departmental information. " I am sure that
there will be mutual benefit in an exchange of experience
and views between the two levels of Government", the Prime Minister
said.
Mr Fraser said the, Commonwealth study was being undertaken by the
Task Force on Departmental Information which was established
by the Government last year following the recommendations of-the
Royal Commission into Australian Government Administration.
Among the issues being considered by the Task Force are the
production and distribution of information in both the print
and non-print media. The Task Force is examining the adequacy
of content and presentation of information produced by departments
and questions of expenditure and cost recovery.
The role, operation and staffing of departmental information
units and the need for a central professional advice and
monitoring service are also being considered.
Some issues of special concern to my Government are the methods
adopted by departments to provide information for disadvantaged
groups and,. at a broader level, the effectiveness of the methods
of distribution used. The Task Force is also concerned with
departmental efforts to evaluate the effectiveness of their
information programs.