By Marion Rae, originally published by the Newcastle Herald on 1 April 2021. Business leaders are being wooed to bankroll the federal government’s gas-fired recovery plan but critics argue the lack of rules or criteria make it ripe for rorting. Now under the wing of new Industry Minister Christian Porter, the plan also enlists Resources… Read More
Former corruption commissioner blasts NSW cuts to integrity agencies as ‘alarming’
By Christopher Knaus, originally published on the 25th of March 2021. A former New South Wales anti-corruption commissioner has slammed the state government’s plan to cut $14m from five key integrity agencies, describing it as “alarming”. Responses to budget estimates on Wednesday showed the Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) and the NSW ombudsman both face cuts of $3.4m, while… Read More
‘Muddies the waters’: Lawyer says Porter can’t form integrity body while facing rape accusation
By Chip Led Grand, originally published on the 23rd of March in the Age. One of Australia’s most respected anti-corruption lawyers says Attorney-General Christian Porter should not have responsibility for establishing a Commonwealth Integrity Commission while he is facing an unresolved rape allegation. Former Queensland Criminal Justice Commission director Mark Le Grand said the flaws… Read More
Government views itself as an unaccountable ‘protected species’
Dr Catherine Williams is the Research Director of the CPI, this piece was originally published on the 4th of March 2021 in the Age. The maelstrom that has engulfed federal politics has left many wondering how on earth we ended up here. The allegations of sexual assaults and the failure of politicians to treat their own staff… Read More
Why Christian Porter and Scott Morrison are utterly wrong about the ‘rule of law’
By Geoffrey Watson, Director of the Centre for Public Integrity, originally published on 5th of March 2021 by the New Daily. The appeal for protection under the “rule of law” made recently by Scott Morrison and Christian Porter is not only a bad argument, it tends to undermine the rule of law. At its heart the rule… Read More
Australia’s funpark for felons leaves the nation vulnerable to hostile foreign powers
By Peter Hartcher, originally published by SMH on the 16th of February 2021. You could be forgiven for thinking that the Bergin report that damned Crown casinos last week was only about greed and crime. It was not. It’s bad enough that Crown casinos effectively had become bankers to some of the world’s worst crime… Read More
‘Hidden money’: $50m flows in secret political donations
By Tom McIilroy, originally published in the Australian Financial Review on the 15th of February 2021. The nation’s major political parties took in $50 million in donations from unknown sources last financial year, with new analysis showing 30 per cent of all income amounts to “hidden money”. Read more here.
$50 million in secret political donations
RN Breakfast with Fran Kelly, originally broadcast on Monday the 15th of February. A new analysis of political donations shows that the major parties raked in almost $50 million last year from unknown sources. The problem is mainly due to the disclosure laws – any donation of below $14,300 does not have to be identified.… Read More
Interrogating government integrity
By Lisa Davies, originally published in Fairfax on the 12th of February 2021. Political donations, government grants programs, and allegations of pork-barrelling. It didn’t take long for 2021 to reveal a significant theme for this year – the integrity of our system of government. In mid-January, chief political correspondent David Crowe ignited this issue when… Read More
Federal Labor Party scrutiny on Crown donations after damning report
By Paul Sakkal, Patrick Hatch and Katina Curtis, originally published on the 11th of February 2021. The federal Labor Party will consider banning donations from Crown in light of a NSW report that found the company enabled money-laundering by criminals at its Melbourne casino. The company, which runs casinos in Melbourne and Perth, donated $1.78 million to federal political… Read More