This article discusses recent decisions by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and a full Federal Court bench to reject a two-year bid by Federal Attorney-General George Brandis to keep the "bland" summaries of meetings in his ministerial diary from being considered for release under Commonwealth FOI legislation. 

Furthermore, it argues that the "benign neglect" of FOI policy by successive governments has undermined the capacity of the poorly funded Office of the Australian Information Commissioner to deliver effective, informed and high-quality advice.