Access to information is still vital
Every day at 1pm I watch the Ministry of Health’s livestreamed update on Covid19 where cases, confirmed and probable, and recovered cases and key messages are outlined.
I’m not alone; thousands around the country are also tuning in. The update provides information on the health aspects but also key messages from other sectors including education, police and civil defence.
Stuck at home in a level-4 lockdown, these updates – and media coverage from trusted sources such as the and – are key ways to get information.
The days, weeks and possibly even months ahead will be tough and it is important the media continues to have timely access to information and people are able to stay informed.
Now, more than ever, is a time to keep those in power accountable and ensure they are transparent.
The ombudsman helps New Zealanders in their dealings with government agencies, particularly around legal requests for information.
These official information requests can still be made during alert level 4 and government agencies have 20 working days to respond. But the ombudsman has acknowledged these agencies could be under more pressure as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and there is more lenience.
We can still take Covid-19 into account, but shouldn’t give agencies an easy out.
Yes, we do have larger issues right now, but we still need to know what central and local government agencies, including district health boards, are doing, whether it be related to Covid-19 or other aspects of their responsibilities.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council doesn’t usually live-stream its meetings, but when talking about its emergency response to Covid-19 recently it invited media to join the video chat and listen in.
Rotorua Lakes Council usually live-streams its meetings, but its extraordinary meeting last week was not.
The reason given was the council priority was ensuring councillors who couldn’t be physically present were able to participate as the meeting was urgent.
The almost four-hour meeting was recorded and put online about six hours after the meeting finished.
If the meeting had been livestreamed as usual, the
could have kept the public informed in a timely way.
Live-streaming isn’t a council requirement and under the Local Government Act councils can have extraordinary meetings and in certain circumstances, the public can be excluded from public meetings.
In my view, and generally speaking, during Covid-19 it would be easy for access to information to become more difficult.
We must not let that happen. Timely access to information is
"The days, weeks and possibly even months ahead will be tough and it is important the media continues to have timely access to information and people are able to stay informed."
the cornerstone of democracy. It’s a public’s right to know what is done on its behalf.
This crisis reminds us how fragile modern society is. As soon as we give an inch there is the potential to take one more inch, and another, and another – until it’s a mile.
As journalists, we’re doing the best we can to keep everyone informed in these unprecedented times and will continue to do so.
Now, more than ever, New Zealand needs to continue to hold government agencies, both central and local, to account.
Now is the time to fiercely protect democracy and our right to information.