Unpacking Accountability with the former Clerk of the Victorian Parliament

Join Dr Catherine Williams, Executive Director of the Centre for Public Integrity, as she sits down with Andrew Young, former Clerk of the Victorian Parliament and a key member of Deakin University’s Parliamentary Research Unit. In this episode, Andrew demystifies the process of orders for production of documents—a crucial parliamentary tool that compels the government to release withheld information. He explains how these orders underpin the accountability and transparency necessary for effective lawmaking, while highlighting the alarming decline in compliance and the contentious use of public interest immunity claims. Drawing on comparisons between Victoria and New South Wales, Andrew reveals why independent adjudication is vital to ensure governments cannot simply act as their own arbiters. Tune in for a deep dive into a seemingly esoteric issue that strikes at the very heart of responsible government.