Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the amendment and the comments just made by Senator Waters. Labor has a very strong position in relation to a national integrity commission. I chaired the last Senate inquiry and I was the deputy chair of the inquiry prior to that. I know which senators have a long-term commitment in relation to establishing a national integrity commission, and I take lectures like that from the senator as they should be taken.

The clear position of the Labor Party is that we will, in government, introduce a national integrity commission within the first 12 months. But we have to make sure that we get such a body right. The Senate committee has not looked into this matter in such detail, with very clear recommendations, of the process that needs to occur to rush it in a way which will establish a commission that does not have the support and the standing that it will need to have in the future. Labor has a very strong position. In government we will establish a commission, but we will get that process right. We have heard a number of concerns in relation to the McGowan bill. We understand the good faith in which it's being progressed, but there are some sensitive issues that need to be managed effectively and it should not be rushed.