Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak to document 4, the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity's annual report 2021-22. The Joint Committee on the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity, of which I am chair and of which Senator Scarr has previously been chair—and I thank him for his support through all that time—has the statutory right to examine each annual report prepared by the integrity commissioner under the Law Enforcement Integrity Commissioner Act 2006. As part of this examination, the committee held a public hearing yesterday to speak with ACLEI about its performance over the reporting period. While the committee will table a report in due course—and I do not wish to pre-empt that report—I do wish to note some highlights from the report and the hearing.

Providing context for the annual report, the committee heard from the Integrity Commissioner that 2021-22 was a year of further maturing and development for ACLEI. The work undertaken in 2021 to bring the five new agencies into ACLEI's jurisdiction—that is, the ATO, ACCC, ASIC, APRA and the Office of the Special Investigator—was embedded. The year ended with ACLEI's first prosecution before the courts of corruption offences involving an ATO officer in Operation Barker, which was a significant bribery investigation. During the year, the first biannual stakeholder survey was conducted of jurisdictional agencies, with pleasing results, showing an overall satisfaction rate of 89 per cent. Areas for improvement include timelines such as the triage of ACLEI's assessment work. The committee heard that a major focus for the reporting period was recruitment, and it currently has 112 staff. ACLEI now has a deputy commissioner, as recommended by the parliamentary committee, and opened an office in Melbourne during the reporting period.

The hearing also canvassed topical issues such as preparation for the establishment of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, or the NACC. The Integrity Commissioner told the committee that ACLEI has three key priorities for the remainder of its time as ACLEI: to complete the legislative requirements for ACLEI; to finish ACLEI well, meaning ACLEI is in the fortunate position of knowing it is coming to an end and will take opportunities over the next few months to celebrate what ACLEI has achieved; and to work with the Attorney-General's Department on the establishment of the NACC. The work with the Attorney-General's Department has involved: dedicating one of their senior lawyers to work with the AGD on the drafting of the legislation; leading a project with the department to build a new ICT platform for the NACC; undertaking property projects for new leases for the NACC; building an intake and assessment process capable of dealing with the number of matters that might come to the NACC; engaging in an organisational design process; and continued recruitment.

At the hearing, the committee thanked the Integrity Commissioner and staff for their work over the reporting period, particularly for their work in relation to the establishment of the NACC. I add my personal thanks to the commissioner and staff for a job well done. Their work on the transition to the NACC in particular will help ensure that the Australian government delivers on our promise that by the middle of this year Australians will have a powerful, independent and transparent anticorruption commission with the powers of a standing royal commission, able to investigate serious or systemic corrupt conduct across the entire federal Public Service.

While the NACC is an important reform for returning integrity and trust to parliament after numerous scandals, I acknowledge that ACLEI has done an exceptional job within the bounds of its jurisdiction. It has served Australia well, including during my time as chair and deputy chair of the ACLEI committee—about 14 years overall—and I consider it a privilege to have witnessed their work from the perspective of a committee member. I look forward to the opportunity to make another contribution on the report of the inquiry when it is tabled, and I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted.

Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise very briefly to associate myself with Senator Bilyk's remarks and to give my personal expression of gratitude to all the staff of ACLEI and for the leadership under Commissioner Jaala Hinchcliffe, who I think has done an absolutely outstanding job. Finally, I wanted to put on the record my personal appreciation of Senator Bilyk, who I think has performed an outstanding role over many years as both deputy chair and chair of the ACLEI oversight committee. I'll add a personal touch to that and thank Senator Bilyk for inviting me for a cup of coffee and conveying her wisdom to me after I first became chair and for her very civil and collegiate sense of assistance that she gave me throughout my period as chair, which I think is in the best traditions of this place. I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.