Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Macnamara for his question. On 28 September 2022 I introduced a bill to establish a powerful, transparent and independent national anticorruption commission. On the same day a joint select committee was established to inquire into the bill. The committee called for submissions addressing the provisions of the bill and held four days of public hearings. Today, Dr Helen Haines, the member for Indi and the deputy chair of the committee, tabled its report in the House. I thank her and the chair, Senator Linda White, and all of the members of the committee for their work on this report. I'm delighted that the committee, made up of government, opposition and crossbench members of both Houses, has delivered a unanimous report today.

This is the parliament at its finest, with members and senators coming together to find common ground and to find a constructive way forward. In doing so, they have respected the mandate given by the Australian people on 21 May to the Albanese government to establish a powerful, transparent and independent national anticorruption commission. This is the biggest single integrity reform this parliament has seen for decades. It is a key pillar in this government's plan to restore integrity, honesty and accountability to government. We will deliver on this key election commitment. Unlike the former government, which pledged to deliver a national anticorruption commission in December 2018 and never delivered on that commitment, we are going to get this done.

The government will now carefully consider this report and its recommendations ahead of the resumption of debate on the NACC Bill in the next session of parliament. We are determined to pass this legislation by year's end and have the commission up and running by mid-2023. I call on all members of both the houses to engage constructively as this legislation works its way through the parliament. Multipartisan support is the best way to ensure the long-term success of his body. Together we can deliver to the Australian people the highest standard of integrity that they called for at the last election and get this done.

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