Lee Rhiannon (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) since 1989, the New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has investigated New South Wales (NSW) politicians and public officials and exposed a range of corrupt activities,

  (ii) the NSW Liberal-National Government, with the support of Christian Democrats and the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, have voted to replace the ICAC Commissioner with a three-commissioner model,

  (iii) this change will mean that the power to conduct public inquiries initiated by the ICAC Commissioner will be severely weakened,

  (iv) former Assistant ICAC Commissioner, Mr Anthony Whealy, stated the changes have a perception of payback, and former ICAC Commissioner Mr David Ipp has described the changes as scandalous, and

  (v) all Australian states and territories have some form of an anti-corruption commission; and

(b) calls on the federal government to support current and sound future research into potential anti-corruption systems appropriate for Australia, including the research led by Griffith University, in partnership with Transparency International Australia.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is leave granted? Leave is granted for one minute.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government takes a zero tolerance approach to corruption in all its forms. Australia is consistently ranked as one of the least corrupt countries in the world. The government has a multifaceted approach to combatting corruption and financial crime, including: a $127 million reform package to strengthen the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and better protect Australian consumers; the Fraud and Anti-Corruption Centre housed in the Australian Federal Police, with a $14.7 million investment from proceeds of crime to expand the centre's foreign bribery investigative capability; the release of a public discussion paper on a possible deferred prosecution agreement scheme; and $127.6 million over four years to fund the serious financial crime task force to ensure Commonwealth financial crimes are disrupted and deterred.

Question agreed to.