Duncan Spender (NSW, Liberal Democratic Party) Share this | Hansard source

This is not my first speech. There are some problems with Senator Storer's motion on transparency. Firstly, it seeks to set up an integrity commission with public hearings. Public hearings are not necessarily a good idea; they can involve the chamber becoming a star chamber. There are technical suggestions about reducing thresholds for public donations. The main point to make about public donations is that parties' policies are on the public record, and the voters determine which parties they want in this place. There's a suggestion for more funding for freedom of information. We don't necessarily know that we need more funding; there could be a need for a shift of funding. With regard to enhanced whistleblower protections, what particular enhanced whistleblower protections? Some whistleblower protections go too far. There's a suggestion we need to control lobbyists more. Lobbyists need to be able communicate with the public; otherwise we all end in one big echo chamber. Finally, to the idea that we need a code of conduct for politicians, voters are our bosses—no-one else.