FOI commissioner complained of being ignored and ‘limited’ staff before resigning, tense emails reveal

Exclusive: Correspondence shows Leo Hardiman expressed frustrations to agency head Angelene Falk, and wanted to ‘put our weekly catch ups aside’

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In the weeks before his shock resignation, Australia’s freedom of information commissioner complained about being routinely ignored within his own agency and of the pointless diversion of his “very limited” staff, internal records show.

Leo Hardiman, a king’s counsel and former deputy chief general counsel at the Australian Government Solicitor, resigned as FOI commissioner in March, less than 12 months into a five-year appointment.

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