Vague "Critical Information" Power Threatens Press Freedom

The Minister can unilaterally declare classes of information as "critical electronic records" based on undefined criteria like "national security" or "economic and social well-being" with no parliamentary oversight or judicial review. This vague power could be used to designate databases containing journalistic sources, research data, or political commentary as "critical," triggering registration requirements under 51 and enabling government surveillance of information flows. The lack of defined standards creates arbitrary application risks that could chill investigative journalism, academic research, and public discourse about government performance.