More than 800 secrecy laws keeping Australian government information from the public, paper shows

Experts alarmed by volume and complexity of restrictions as discussion paper sets stage for Labor's push for reforms

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Australia has more than 800 separate secrecy and non-disclosure laws criminalising the release of vast swathes of information held by the federal government, according to a new government paper.

The sheer volume and complexity of secrecy restrictions covering government information is revealed in the discussion paper, which is designed to inform Labor's push for reforms.

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