Parliament Updates

Australian Federal Integrity Commission Bill 2020 

This bill will establish the Australian Federal Integrity Commission, or AFIC, as a new independent body responsible for the implementation of a national pro-integrity framework. The focus on pro-integrity, not anticorruption, is deliberate. It's also a consensus bill that is designed the be owned by all MPs who care about making a real contributions to the law reform that their constituents are crying out for. 

TRANSCRIPT:

I second the motion moved by the member for Indi. In the remaining time, I would like to say over 80 per cent of Australians support that we have a federal integrity watchdog. It is well over time. States and territories all have one, and it would be wrong to assume that the same need is not here at a federal level.

All sides of politics claim to support that there be a Federal Integrity Commission, but the Australian people have seen little action. In the last six months, we've seen many legislations pass this parliament, and it is well overdue that we now have some accountability over our governance. There has been a disregard or a carelessness to accountability and good governance in the last few years. That is dangerous and, I would say, an insult to the Australian people. It is well over time that we, this parliament, put in place a body that can ensure public funds and public actions are for the good of the Australian people and that we have a national body that investigates corruption and integrity.