Secrecy impedes informed discourse

Suggestions such as that made by Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty that the public should accept restrictions on information willingly on account of terrorism and security concerns should get the thumbs-down.

The Mohamed Haneef case, for instance, underlined the need for the Australian public to know the details if our freedoms are not to be eroded in the name of protecting them.

The Right to Know campaign will probably make more extended proposals that should be supported by the public to secure the free flow of information that is legitimately of public interest.

As far as the election is concerned, the challenge is to secure from the contenders ironclad guarantees of reforms that will roll back restrictions and impediments and subsequently maintain the openness of public life.