Julian Hill (Bruce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

asked the Attorney-General, in writing, on 28 November 2019:

(1) In respect of the Government's response to questions by Senator Rex Patrick that between the 2015-2016 financial year and May 2018 the National Archives of Australia (NAA) had spent $926,474.89 on legal costs to defend access requests, how much has the NAA spent on legal costs between May 2018 and the date of answering this question in defending such requests.(2) How much has the NAA spent on legal costs since 1 June 2016 and the date of answering this question in relation to the release request made by historian, Professor Jenny Hocking, for: (a) access to archival record AA1984/609; (b) access to all original correspondence received by, and all contemporaneously made copies of, correspondence sent between former Governor-General, Sir John Kerr, or his Official Secretary to and from the Queen by means of her Private Secretary; and (c) the release of records and information in relation to the 'Palace letters' case (High Court Case Number: Case No. S262/2019) currently before the High Court.(3) How much does the Attorney-General estimate the NAA will spend on legal costs in relation to the release requests detailed in questions (2) (a), (b) and (c).(4) In relation to questions (2) (a), (b) and (c), what is the itemised breakdown of the expenditure.(5) Have costs been incurred by any other Commonwealth agencies or departments in relation to the release requests detailed in questions (2) (a), (b) and (c); if so: (a) which agencies or departments; (b) what are the total and itemised costs to date; and (c) what are the estimated total and itemised costs.

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