An Albanese Labor Government will establish a powerful, transparent, and independent National Anti-Corruption Commission.
Local Federal Member, Shayne Neumann said the ever-growing list of scandals surrounding the Morrison Government shows why Australia needs a powerful and independent anti-corruption commission.
“Mr Morrison and his colleagues will do everything they can to stop an anti-corruption body from being established,” Mr Neumann said.
“The Liberals deny there is a problem, and make endless excuses for the cover-ups and rorts that have plagued this Government.
“They put forward a draft bill for a commission designed to be so weak, so secretive and so lacking in independence that instead of exposing corruption, it would assist in any cover-up.
“Every state and territory in Australia has its own anti-corruption commission and Labor believes it is now long past time for a Commonwealth body to be established to tackle corruption in the federal government.
“Anti-corruption commissions are powerful and independent investigatory bodies that serve the public by uncovering corruption and by ensuring that members of a government, including politicians, are held to account if they engage in corrupt conduct.”
Mr Neumann said that the pandemic has highlighted that importance of strong levels of trust and confidence in authorities and governments by the public.
“An anti-corruption commission may not stop people protesting against lock-down measures, but it might help convince the vast majority of people that their leaders are on their side.
“At the moment, too many people do not trust the Government.”
An Albanese Labor Government’s National Anti-Corruption Commission will operate as a standing Royal Commission into serious and systemic corruption in the federal government. It will have a broad jurisdiction to investigate and hold to account Commonwealth ministers, public servants, statutory office holders, government agencies, parliamentarians, personal staff of politicians and other Commonwealth public officials.
Labor’s National Anti-Corruption Commission will also be able to ‘follow the money’, meaning it can also investigate private individuals and companies involved in systemic and serious corruption by public officials.
“This is in stark contrast to Mr Morrison’s weak and conflicted proposal which would be unable to instigate its own independent inquiries into Government corruption, prevented from holding public hearings into politicians or public servants, and banned from investigating any of the multiple past scandals of the Morrison Government.
“After eight long years in office the Liberals have failed to take any action to tackle corruption, leaving the Commonwealth the only Australian government without a body dedicated to tackling corruption by public officials.
“The Morrison Government’s refusal to honour its election promise is allowing corruption to go unchecked, enabling ministers to avoid being held to account for their actions and undermining public confidence in the Australian Government.
“An Albanese Labor Government will put an end to the Morrison Government’s shameful inaction by establishing a powerful, transparent and independent National Anti-Corruption Commission.”
