David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister, for your explanation. Can I put on the record, from the consultations I've done across the ACT, how disappointed people are with the Labor government to have promised an independent commission against corruption where public hearings would be held when in the public interest to now have done a deal with the opposition to insert 'exceptional circumstances'. As we've heard from experts like Professor Twomey, it is almost impossible now for the NACC to have public hearings. I've had a number of former senior public servants raise concerns about this. It does not seem necessary. From my engagement in the committee process it seemed like, again and again, people talked about the need to keep it independent, to allow the NACC to decide for itself whether or not it was in the public interest.