The Progressive Labour Party has questioned whether public access to information is necessary.

However, the PLP newsletter article which raises the question urges The Royal Gazette to call for a press council with the same vigour it has advocated for PATI through its A Right To Know: Giving People Power campaign.

Under the headline "Is PATI Necessary?" the February edition of The Party Line states: "The recent advocacy of the daily for swift action on PATI is interesting. This article will not argue the merits or demerits of the issue.

"Suffice to say that the matter will be given the consideration it deserves in the appropriate place at the appropriate time."

It is the latest twist in this newspaper's hopes for PATI to be restored to the forefront of the PLP's agenda.

PATI was allocated $200,000 in last month's Budget, with Premier Ewart Brown stressing the legislation had never been derailed, delayed or deferred.

A few days earlier, PATI was left out of the Throne Speech after A Right To Know had spent weeks calling for it to be included.

In 2005, then Premier Alex Scott released a PATI discussion paper and proposed as much information as possible be made accessible to the public. Weeks before he was replaced by Dr. Brown as Premier, Mr. Scott pledged to put a PATI law in place in 2007.

However, that never happened, and unlike in 2003, transparency legislation was not mentioned in the PLP's election manifesto last December.

Regarding a press council, The Party Line states: "As the demand for transparency and fairness is apparently increasing, one would hope that the daily, which a large portion of a specific section of the community considers unfair, will advocate with similar vigour for a press council.

"In the past, politicians from the Government and Opposition parties have called for a press council. Members of the public have felt powerless to confront perceived unfairness.

"There is a recourse available to those aggrieved by the broadcasting outlets. The print media is subject to editorial discretion which on occasion highlights human imperfection.

"To counter this shortcoming, press councils or press complaints commissions have been established in several jurisdictions so there would be an independent forum for resolving complaints. Its aim is to maintain high ethical journalistic standards and to preserve press freedom.

"The press council could be comprised of lay and press persons. I look forward to the support of the daily. After all, 'exemplum docet' (the example teaches)."

The article does not state whether The Party Line should be subjected to any press council.

As well as the press council, Dr. Brown's Throne Speech called for the modernising of the Corporations of Hamilton and St. George's to reflect good governance.

This prompted Opposition Leader Kim Swan and others to say Government should lead by example by improving its own accountability and transparency by introducing PATI.

Dr. Brown has said that it is not Government's intention to run the press council or have an undue influence in it.