PM Transcripts

Press Statement No. 335
September 1974
ROYAL COMMISSION ON AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION
SUBMISSIONS BY PUBLIC SERVANTS
In reply to recent representations about public servants
rights to make submissions to the Royal Commission on Australian
Government Administration, the Prime Minister has informed his
correspondents that the Government itself and the Commission are
anxious that individual public servants should be given every
possible encouragement to come forward with their views.
Mr. Whitlam said: " The Royal Commission was established
in pursuit of the Government's aim of improving Australian
Government Administration and the Government believes that any
submissions individual public servants may wish to make to that
end are to be regarded as being in pursuance of their official
duties. The Government therefore would not wish any obstacle
to be placed in the way of Public Servants making submissions
drawing on information acquired in the course of their duty
except insofar as this might infringe the confidentiality of
personal or business information provided to the Australian
Taxation Office, Australian Bureau of Statistics etc. The Royal
Commission has stated that it would not be necessary for Public
Servants to produce copies of official documents to which they
refer but that where it felt it necessary the Commission would
ask for documents referred to."
Mr. Whitlam ' also said that he was ensuring that advice
on the Government's attitude towards disclosure of information to
the Royal Commission is being made known to the Chief Officers of
all* Departments and to others concerned.
The Prime Minister said the Government considers that
restrictions on freedom of expression of Public Servants and former
Public Servants should be reduced to the minimum necessary for the
conduct of affairs of state and that Public Servants should have
maximum possible freedom to exercise civil and political'rights
enjoyed by other citizens.
CANBERRA. A. C. T.