David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

As Dr Seuss would say, 'Oh the jobs people work at!' We need a B-watch watcher, and that's what the inspector is here to do—to be the watcher and keep an eye on the operations of the NACC, going forward. It's an important integrity measure for the NACC. It's one of the measures that I hope that we can agree to so as to provide longevity for the NACC and ensure ongoing public confidence in the NACC. I thank members for their contributions.

Question agreed to.

This should be fairly straightforward and non-contentious. I move Greens amendment number (10) on sheet 1714 revised:

(10) Clause 241, page 203 (after line 25), after subclause (3), insert:

(3A) A person must not be appointed as the Commissioner if the person is or has been a member of:

(a) the Parliament of the Commonwealth; or

(b) the Parliament of a State; or

(c) the legislature of a Territory.

This amendment provides that a person must not be appointed as the commissioner if the person is or has been a member of the parliament of the Commonwealth, the parliament of a state or the legislature of a territory.

The main job of the NACC will be to keep an eye on politicians. Of course, public servants and third parties and some people in corporate Australia who might be seeking to improperly influence politicians and the Commonwealth need to be under the purview and observation of the NACC. But one of the critical jobs of the NACC will be to keep an eye on politicians. We should not, and we must not, appoint a politician to keep an eye on politicians. That's what this provision says. It's one of those cases where justice not only needs to be done but needs to be seen to be done. If the public see the government appointing a politician to keep an eye on politicians, that will inevitably undermine the integrity of the NACC. We believe this amendment is important. We believe that it supports the longevity of the NACC and public support for the NACC, because at the end of the day, we don't want police investigating police and we don't want politicians investigating politicians.