By Tosca Lloyd, in The Age
On Wednesday, Fairfax reported that submissions made to the inquiry into “religious freedoms”, chaired by Philip Ruddock, would potentially be undisclosed.
This would be concerning, and fuels public sentiment that the scales are already tipped regarding the inquiry’s outcome. The whole process needs transparency. The public needs to scrutinise not only the claims made within the submissions, but the process by which the panel comes to their findings. This is especially so when powerful parties, like certain religious institutions, are concerned.
As it turns out, nothing has been decided: the expert panel will determine the fate of submissions next week. With Ruddock seemingly in favour of openness, let us hope making the inquiry as transparent and accountable as possible will be top of their agenda.
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