By Katie Burgess, originally published in The Canberra Times 5th November 2019. Billionaires bankrolled high-profile independents including Canberra’s Anthony Pesec ahead of the May federal election, new electoral disclosures show. But most donors remain invisible, because of the high disclosure threshold. Independents received around $4.7 million in donations from more than 5500 donors, election disclosure… Read More
MR: “Accountability institutions are under attack” – former integrity officials call for greater independence, funding and powers
Media release 29th October 2019 Former integrity officials today launched 10 reform principles to strengthen accountability institutions, in the wake of ongoing attacks on the judiciary, the media, corruption commissions, and other important agencies. Former judge Paul Stein AM QC, former Independent Security Legislation Monitor Bret Walker SC, former ABC journalist Quentin Dempster AM, and… Read More
RN Breakfast: Queensland crackdown on election donations
Interview by Hamish McDonald, producer Cathy Van Extel, ABC RN Breakfast 30th October 2019. Queensland is set to implement the toughest electoral donation caps and spending limits in the country. Next month the Palaszczuk Government will introduce a bill into State Parliament, with spending caps to take effect in time for next year’s state election.… Read More
Public servants should be punished for failing to report misconduct, legal experts say
By Chris Knaus, originally published in the Guardian 30th October 2019. Public servants should be legally compelled to report misconduct and face punishment for failing to do so, a group of former judges and integrity experts say. The recommendation is one of a series of urgent reforms needed to improve government integrity, strengthen accountability bodies… Read More
Corruption experts welcome Queensland donations reform
Media release 29th October 2019 Leading corruption experts and former judges today welcomed the Queensland Government’s announcement of electoral reform. Reforms include caps on electoral expenditure and donations, and increasing public funding, which aligns with The Centre for Public Integrity’s 15 Point Plan to eliminate the undue influence of money in politics. “The Centre for… Read More
‘It is all part of the same disease’: media and other key institutions under threat
By Nick O’Malley, originally published in the Sydney Morning Herald on 29th October 2019. The prosecution of journalists, cuts to the ABC budget and the appointment of “dud” politically connected officials to roles in key agencies present an unprecedented threat to democracy in Australia. “Media provides crucial accountability and transparency functions,” said a report by… Read More
Government caving in to industry pressure over planning commission review, say former ICAC bosses
By Michaela Whitbourn and Megan Gorrey, originally published in the Sydney Morning Herald 21st October 2019 Former commissioners of the state’s anti-corruption agency have accused the Berejiklian government of caving in to mining industry pressure by holding a review into the future of the independent consent authority for major projects in NSW. Planning Minister Rob… Read More
NSW Minerals Council pressured ‘publicly and privately’ for review of planning body
By Christopher Knaus, originally published in the Guardian 21st October 2019 The head of New South Wales’s mining lobby said his group had “publicly and privately” pressured government to review the state’s independent planning body after it blocked a new coalmine on environmental grounds, an anti-corruption probe has heard. The NSW Minerals Council chief executive,… Read More
Ex-judges lay out blueprint for improving political integrity
Originally published by Chris Knaus in the Guardian 18th October A group of ex-judges, anti-corruption commissioners, and experts have laid out a blueprint for improving political and democratic integrity in the wake of this year’s election. The Centre for Public Integrity used a submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters to argue there… Read More
Former Supreme Court Justice says Australians deserve much better when it comes to standards of political integrity
Interview on ABC News Radio Friday 18th October – listen here Former judges and legal experts are calling for caps on electoral expenditure, real time disclosure of large donations, and tighter rules around around former MPs becoming lobbyists for industry. The Centre for Public Integrity has identified those as key among a raft of reforms… Read More