Andrea Vance

Most people who use the OIA frequently are frustrated that there are no penalties for breaching it, that there's no accountability, that the legislation and the ombudsman, the watchdog if you like, have no teeth.

We're going to talk about the OIA, my mastermind subject.

I don't think it's boring at all, Sharon.

Almost all journalists are somewhat obsessed with the OIA.

I wouldn't say daily because...

The ebb and flow of my week, I sort of try and clump them all together.

I'll have a, you know, I'll say to my editor, I'm just going to have an OIA morning and just spend a couple of hours doing some OIAs.

But if someone tells me something, you know, in the nature of our job, we're often out speaking to people, drinking coffee with people, talking to people, and they'll mention something that they think is worth OIAing.

So I often have little bit scraps of paper in my handbag just with OIA this on it.

And usually there's a tip or a rumor or I've noticed some kind of discrepancy in official statements.

Sometimes you notice a passing reference in a report or a document or someone, i.e.

a politician, isn't answering a question directly.

So the OIA is often the tool that allows journalists to kind of test something.

If there's a story there, sometimes it's a fishing expedition.

Yes, you can.

There are basically two kinds of requests.

Every day journalists are asking questions, so they'll fire off emails.

Occasionally you start with a phone call and then you follow up with an email.

Public service departments and corporates prefer those requests in writing.

It's just easier for them.