Michelle Ananda-Rajah (Higgins, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Attorney-General. Why is a National Anti-Corruption Commission so long overdue?

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

I thank the member for Higgins for her question. The Commonwealth is the last jurisdiction in Australia to implement an anticorruption commission. Due to the inaction of the former Liberal-National government, we've been left behind while the states and territories have moved ahead. I'd like to remind the House that the people of Australia were promised a national anticorruption commission in December 2018. Who might've made that promise? I think it might have been the former Prime Minister and the former Attorney-General. This is what they said:

A new Commonwealth Integrity Commission will take the lead on detecting and stamping out any corrupt and criminal behaviour by Commonwealth employees.

But, as we all know, the former government didn't establish any such national anticorruption commission. By the time of the election in May 2022, they hadn't even bothered to introduce a bill to this parliament. It's been left to the Albanese Labor government to answer the clear message from the Australian people and deliver the anticorruption commission that the Australian people have asked for. This week, we are getting on with that job.

The bills which are being debated in the House today have benefited from the experience of the existing state and territory commissions over the last three decades. Our national model draws on the best elements of those bodies and learns from any shortcomings. Our National Anti-Corruption Commission has also benefited from the scrutiny of parliamentary committees. Today, I circulated government amendments that draw on recommendations from two of those committees to further strengthen our bills. Among other things, these amendments will strengthen protections for journalists in relation to search warrants and protection of sources. We've listened to concerns from the media sector and their advocates and we have acted, because that is what good government does. We want the new Anti-Corruption Commission, when it is established, to have the best chance of success with as broad a base of support as possible. Part of securing that support is acting cooperatively, listening to feedback and taking it on board. I'm proud that the bills being debated today and the government amendments reflect that cooperation and our willingness to work with all sides of the parliament and stakeholders to make the National Anti-Corruption Commission the best it can be.