Crikey’s latest attempt to get hold of a minister’s diary to see who our ministers have been meeting with has been thwarted yet again. We filed a freedom of information request for then-trade minister Andrew Robb’s diary late last year. Between then and now, Robb announced his retirement and acted as an envoy to get new Trade Minister Steve Ciobo ready for the role.

Naturally the office of the new minister — despite working with Robb during a transition period — is now claiming it doesn’t know anything about Robb’s diary and doesn’t have access to it. This is despite it being potentially in breach of the Archives Act for not retaining Commonwealth records. This, after Communications Minister Mitch Fifield’s office declared releasing his diary was not in the public interest. What are in all of these diaries that is so secret?

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