2019-03-12
The Morrison Government’s contempt for the people of the ACT is on display in their efforts to weaken the powers of the ACT’s Integrity Commission, the Greens said today.
“In 2018 the Greens realised our commitment to the people of the ACT to establish an Independent Integrity Commission that would cover all public officials and parties delivering contracted work or services on behalf of the ACT Government,” Greens spokesperson for Integrity Shane Rattenbury said today.
“This should include ACT Policing officers as they are funded to deliver services by and to the ACT taxpayer and community. Unfortunately, this is not something the Assembly can enact on our own and we are constrained by the unwillingness of the Federal Government to engage on this issue.
“At the Federal level, in December 2018 the Morrison Government announced the sort of ICAC you have when you’re not really having an ICAC, a poor cousin of the state ICACs including the ACT’s model.
“Now the Prime Minister is again weakening anti-corruption provisions – this time by not allowing ACT Policing to be covered by the ACT’s Integrity Commission.
“All three parties in the ACT Legislative Assembly have agreed that ACT Policing should be covered by the ACT Integrity Commission.
“It’s time for the Morrison Government to get out of the way and give ACT taxpayers the sort of Integrity Commission they deserve.”
Tim Hollo, Greens candidate for the new seat of Canberra, said: “The Morrison Government’s contempt for integrity in politics and contempt for the ACT’s right to set our own course is dripping off this announcement. The chance to turf them off the government benches can’t come soon enough.
“There’s no other jurisdiction that’s being treated with this level of contempt by the Federal Government.
“The Greens put integrity commissions on the agenda at both ACT and federal levels, and we’ve fought long and hard to make them a reality. Just like Shane has done in the Assembly, I will use my role in the House of Representatives to pull an incoming Shorten Government towards establishing a real integrity commission with teeth,” concluded Mr Hollo.
“When it comes to cleaning up our political system, the Greens are setting the agenda and setting the standard,” Mr Rattenbury added.