Geoffrey Watson, SC, has accused the Albanese government of using "bully boy" tactics by appealing a Freedom of Information ruling that would disclose where nuclear waste from AUKUS submarines will be stored. The government is demanding former senator Rex Patrick cover up to $300,000 in legal costs if he continues to fight for the release of this information. Critics argue this sets a dangerous precedent and hampers transparency, with crossbench Senator Jacqui Lambie planning to introduce reforms that would mandate the government to cover reasonable FOI appeal costs. Watson and others warn these actions discourage ordinary citizens from pursuing their right to access documents under FOI laws.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-12,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In late 2023, barrister Geoffrey Watson, SC, accused the Albanese government of using "bully boy" tactics in its appeal against a Freedom of Information ruling that would reveal potential locations for storing nuclear waste from AUKUS submarines. The Labor government is challenging a decision by Australia’s administrative tribunal to release information under transparency laws, arguing it should remain confidential. Former South Australian senator Rex Patrick initiated the FOI request and faces legal costs totaling up to $300,000 if he continues the fight and loses. Defence Minister Richard Marles has stated that while Australia has decades before a final decision is made on site selection, potential dump sites have been contentious since the AUKUS pact was announced in 2021. Currently, Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia explicitly reject hosting such waste, whereas NSW and Western Australia remain undecided, with no official prohibitions yet. The Northern Territory has laws against nuclear waste storage but could potentially be overruled by federal legislation.
Written for “Nuclear Waste Controversy” on 2026-10-12,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.65, but all 4 of its quote(s) are attributed speech - words the article quotes from someone, not the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 73274: attributed speech only · logged 2026-10-12
Corruption-busting barrister Geoffrey Watson, SC, has accused the Albanese government of “bully boy” tactics as it fights a Freedom of Information ruling that would reveal where nuclear waste from AUKUS submarines would be stored.
asserted
waste → bust → submarines
Labor is appealing a decision from the nation’s administrative tribunal that the material should be released under transparency laws as a matter of public interest.
asserted
material → appeal → interest
The Department of Industry, Science and Resources is demanding the applicant, former South Australian senator Rex Patrick, cover its legal costs – which with his own lawyer’s fees could reach $300,000 – should he fight and lose.
uncertain
he → demand → 300,000
While Defence Minister Richard Marles has said Australia has decades to select the site, which would be on current or future Defence land, identifying potential dump sites has been controversial since the pact was first announced in 2021.
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pact → say → 2021
Victoria, Queensland and South Australia have already ruled hosting such a site.
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Victoria → rule → site
NSW and West Australia have not officially ruled out storage, although it would require legal changes.
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it → rule → changes
The Northern Territory has laws prohibiting nuclear waste storage, but could be overruled by a future federal government.
uncertain
Territory → have → government
Crossbenchers on Monday accused the government of attempting to squash scrutiny, warning it set a dangerous precedent for an already cumbersome FOI regime.
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it → accuse → regime
Senator Jacqui Lambie will table reforms to the parliament this week that would require the government to cover reasonable legal costs if it chose to appeal an FOI decision.
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it → table → decision
Watson, who lead the inquiry into CFMEU corruption, joined politicians in Canberra to accuse the government of trying to keep its dealings secret from the public.
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who → lead → public
“It’s an attempt to stymie these cases being brought forward,” he said at a press conference.
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he → ’ → conference
Watson said the government was imitating a tactic he became familiar with while working in corporate law, where well-funded firms drove smaller litigants into cheap settlements or drove them away.
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firms → say → them
“It’s a bully boy tactic.
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It → ’ → ?
Now what I’m disappointed to see is that that’s been ... picked up by the federal government, trying to use precisely the same tactic to try and stop ordinary citizens from pursuing their entitlement to see these documents,” Watson said.
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Watson → ’m → documents
He said it was just the latest attempt to hamper scrutiny, after Labor’s plans to hike fees for FOI requests was abandoned in March.
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plans → say → March
The government was forced to abandon the move in March after failing to secure support from the opposition in the upper house.
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government → force → house
Lambie on Monday accused Albanese of breaking his promise to lead a more transparent government.
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Lambie → accuse → government
“[Labor’s] transparency record is absolutely shameful,” she said.
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she → say → ?
Patrick, who now works as an FOI consultant, said the demand for costs would have a chilling effect on the average Australian without the resources or know-how to fight the government in court.
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demand → work → court
“Anyone who wins an FOI could lose their house simply because the government doesn’t like a decision,” he said.
uncertain
he → win → decision
“Imagine being a successful FOI applicant; you just want to deal with the scrutiny of your government, you just want to participate in democracy, and suddenly ... you have to go to court.
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you → imagine → court
“It could be a journalist, it could be a regular citizen, it could be a not-for-profit just seeking access to information to be able to do their job.”
uncertain
it → seek → job
Patrick said the government was seeking legal costs if it successfully appeals both the nuclear waste FOI decision and a separate case relating to the Foreign Investment Review Board.
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it → say → Board
“In each of these cases, when they’ve appealed, they’ve approached me privately and said, ‘How about you simply back off?
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you → appeal → me
We go back to the tribunal, and then you won’t have to deal with the costs associated with this issue.’
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you → go → issue
So there’s no doubt in my mind that this is a bullying tactic.”
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this → ’ → mind
A spokesman for Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said the government would consider Lambie’s bill “through the usual processes”.
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government → say → news
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Subscribers → sign → newsletter
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