Age journo Chris Vedelago still waiting for full FIRB response after a year: Tweet of the day

Nearly one year after Age journalist Chris Vedelago lodged a freedom of information request with the Foreign Investment Review Board, his questions remain unanswered.

His November 2011 application sought information on the board’s monitoring and compliance activities involving temporary residents — how many had applied, been approved to buy, and what investigations had been conducted or penalties levied for violations of the law.

The board finally released some documents though in a heavily redacted form.

Vedelago says the documents show the regulator “has either woefully failed to do its job or is abusing the FOI system”.

The documents show the board had not engaged in any compliance activities relating to temporary residents, despite 2010 announcements the board would clamp down on the activities of temporary residents.

He says the blank record is either due to incompetence or dishonesty from the board.

Vedelago has applied to the Australian Information Commissioner for a review of the decision.