Sunday 10th of May 2026
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the federal court transcription service has been privatised....

A $60k charge for your own court transcripts? That’s what concert pianist Jayson Gillham is up for in his case against the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, on top of the $45k for a 15 day trial. What’s the scam with the claim that justice is open to all?

 

What’s the scam with the Federal Court? Is justice blind or bought?

by Michael West

 

As reported here, the Federal Court charged Simon Turner, the coal miner suing BHP, almost $2k for half a day of transcripts in his own case, his own evidence. The scam is, as with Gilham, the transcription service has been privatised so the money goes to a foreign multinational – VIQ Solutions – for a digitised AI service which the Court could have provided itself.

It’s hard to escape the conclusion that the courts are deliberately trying to price ordinary people out of the justice system. Lawyers are exploiting the spectre of court costs in their mediation tactics. As you do. Surely it’s the role of the courts to deliver a level playing field, or simply stick to their own hallowed claim – the principle of open justice.

And the money goes to a multinational!

https://michaelwest.com.au/whats-the-scam-with-the-federal-court-is-justice-blind-or-bought/

 

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT — SINCE 2005.

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.

         RABID ATHEIST.

         WELCOME TO THIS INSANE WORLD….

 

secrecy....

 

Secrecy culture vs transparency. Albanese’s FOI cost scam

by Rex Patrick

 

The Albanese Government claims the Freedom of Information system is costing too much, but it’s the secrecy that is costing us. What’s the scam?

The scam is it’s government secrecy that is driving up costs, not the search for information to keep the public informed. It’s the secrecy culture that exists in public service FOI teams. It’s a case of ‘secrecy with a little bit of transparency’, not ‘transparency with a little bit of secrecy’.

The starting point in the FOI Act is that you’re entitled to the documents you request, unless there is some good reason you can’t have them. The Government bears the onus of establishing an exemption to access. However, the modus operandi of FOI departments is to start with the idea you can have nothing, and then work from there towards some minimum disclosure.

Here’s an example of an FOI team proposing an extension to processing so they can determine “whether certain material within the documents can be released”.

 

"The FO Team is working with the relevant area within the department to finalise its submissions, and consider whether certain additional information within the documents can be released. Unfortunately the relevant team has had multiple unexpected staff absences which has affected the timeline for this work.
As such, I would appreciate if you would consider agreeing to a further 5-day extension of time for the department to provide submissions. The additional time will be used to complete internal consultation and decision making for the purposes of determining whether certain material within the documents can be released."

 

The documents I’m after in this particular case are the plans of the Albanese Government for a National Radioactive Waste Management Facility after the Federal Court set aside the Morrison Government’s decision to put one at Kimba in South Australia.

 

The government secrecy is driving up costs. Transparency Jedi and their apprentices in the community will take matters to the Information Commissioner and the Administrative Appeal Tribunal as a remedy to the culture. That involves resourcing and lawyers’ fees.

Mr Albanese doesn’t get it – secrecy is so much more expensive than transparency.

https://michaelwest.com.au/secrecy-culture-vs-transparency-albaneses-foi-cost-scam/

 

READ FROM TOP.

PLEASE VISIT:

YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT — SINCE 2005.

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.

         RABID ATHEIST.

         WELCOME TO THIS INSANE WORLD….