2021-10-18
On Thursday the Senate will vote on a motion that could force the PM to bring the Greens’ National Integrity Commission Bill on for debate in the House.
The Greens have today lodged a concurrence motion in the Senate which, if passed, could ultimately force the House to vote on the Greens’ bill, which passed the Senate more than two years ago.
The Greens’ National Integrity Commission model, which was rated the best corruption watchdog proposal in the country by the independent Centre for Public Integrity, would establish a strong integrity body that allows for public hearings, retrospectivity and the ability to investigate anonymous tip-offs, balanced with appropriate safeguards and privacy provisions.
Greens deputy leader and spokesperson on democracy Senator Larissa Waters said:
“This is the dodgiest government in Australian history. If we had an effective federal anti-corruption body more than half of the Morrison Cabinet would be facing serious questions about their integrity.
“My National Integrity Commission Bill passed the Senate two years ago. It’s the best model for a corruption watchdog in the country, but the Government has twice blocked the bill from even being debated.
“If the PM simply got out of the way and let parliament do its job, the House could vote on my bill this week and the National Integrity Commission could be in place by Christmas.”