It follows attorney general George Brandis’s assertion that Australian politics is ‘remarkably free of corruption’

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Public submissions have been invited to a Senate inquiry on the need for a national anti-corruption body – after the attorney general, George Brandis, told parliament that Australian federal politics had been “remarkably free of corruption”.

The committee’s chair, Senator Dio Wang, said the inquiry would examine the adequacy of the legislative and policy framework for dealing with institutional, organisational, political and individual corruption.

“While the government might not see the need for a national anti-corruption agency with the power to scrutinise everyone from blue-collar workers and employers, right up to politicians and party donors, and through to organisations from banks to bureaucracies to political parties, I believe the majority of Australians do,” Wang told Guardian Australia.

Former Labor party vice president and Transport Workers Union national secretary Tony Sheldon, a long-time campaigner for a national integrity commission, will be calling for increased transparency and accountability in political donations and lobbying.

Icac has been effective in the fight against corruption in NSW Read more

Sheldon told Guardian Australia his preference was for a national integrity commission modelled on the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) with the powers of a royal commission, which could also investigate major corporate corruption, similar to the functions of the serious fraud offices in New Zealand and Britain.

Sheldon also called for new Australian Electoral Commission laws to require real-time online disclosure of donations over $1,000; uniform state and territory donations laws through the Council of Australian Governments (Coag); and a charter for donation standards for political parties.

“We want these reforms progressed, especially in light of donations by major companies in retail, financial services and banks which have influenced legislation and the political process in order to dominate markets, abuse their power and ultimately rob the community,” said Sheldon.

Submissions for the inquiry – set up by Wang and Senator John Madigan – close on 20 April. The Coalition has appointed former ministers Eric Abetz and David Johnston and Labor has appointed senators Jacinta Collins (as deputy chair) and Joe Ludwig. Wang will chair the committee and Madigan is also a member.



The government had attempted to reinstate the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) to deal with what the Coalition has described as a widespread culture of bullying and intimidation among trade unions.



Wang and Madigan argued that any permanent commission should look at corruption across all industries, including federal politicians and bureaucrats. But with a double dissolution election still a possibility, crossbenchers may lose their seats before any report can be made.

Although Labor supported the inquiry, it has joined the Coalition in resisting calls for a federal corruption body on the grounds that there were other bodies such as the Australian federal police and the Australian Crime Commission to deal with such matters.

The major parties have also voted against a Greens’ attempt to ban corporate political donations and to establish a national corruption watchdog.



Last month during the debate Brandis said: “In Australia, our public administration and our politics – certainly at a federal level – have been remarkably free of corruption.

“The government’s view is that we have strong laws in relation to corruption which are enforced by a skilful and honourable Australian federal policy as well as state and territory police agencies,” Brandis said.

“There has not been any indication of a culture of corruption in Australian public administration ...

“The same cannot be said of all state governments and all state public administration but it can be said, and I think we should be very proud of this, of the commonwealth.”

Brandis said corruption was rare in federal politics but not in the building industry.

“There have very seldom been instances of either corrupt members of federal parliament or corrupt public servants. There have been one or two – very rare indeed. However, the same cannot be said of the building industry.”

Madigan, who supports a national corruption agency, said the public needed more information about the “thicket” of regulatory agencies to eliminate corruption.

“While I am aware of problems in the building industry, I hear at least as many complaints from constituents about corruption, unfair practices and misconduct among banks, financial planners, lawyers, accountants, valuers, doctors, major supermarket chains and government departments,” said Madigan.

Stuart Clark, president of the Law Council of Australia, said while he was not calling for a national corruption body “at this stage”, there was a need consider if such a body was required and any proposed model. The Law Council will make a submission to the inquiry.



Clark said the council had concerns about the NSW Icac model where hearings were held in public and evidence could be withheld from witnesses.



“We have concerns over public hearings especially where no findings are made against the person,” Clark said.



“Any model needs to have procedural fairness.”