Shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus QC stopped by the region last week to spruik Labor’s plans to establish a National Integrity Commission (NIC).
While NSW has its own independent integrity commission – ICAC – the federal government does not.
Federal member for Richmond Justine Elliot said, ‘In recent years there has been a loss of faith in the ability of politicians and the public service to properly represent and serve the public interest.’
‘All Australians deserve to have confidence in the integrity of their government, their parliament, the public service and our public institutions.
‘While there is not substantial evidence of widespread corruption at a federal level, that is not a reason to do nothing.
‘A bipartisan Senate inquiry has shown that Australia’s current federal anti-corruption framework is uncoordinated, inconsistent and confusing. While many agencies have some partial responsibilities in this area, their work is haphazard and overlapping.
‘It’s clear we need to strengthen and simplify our anti-corruption framework – to weed out serious and systemic corruption, promote integrity, and restore the trust of the Australian people in their representatives and institutions.’
Local residents can show their support for the National Integrity Commission by signing Labor’s petition at: www.alp.org.au/support_the_nic.
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