Labor, Centre Alliance and Jacqui Lambie join Greens in voting for federal anti-corruption commission, but bill won’t pass House

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

A Greens bill to establish a federal anti-corruption commission has passed the Senate with the backing of Labor and the minor parties, piling pressure on the Coalition to support the proposal.

In a tight vote in the Senate on Monday, the Greens were able to secure enough support for the bill to pass after One Nation’s two senators abstained.

The legislation passed 35 votes to 32, with Cory Bernardi siding with the government, and Labor, Centre Alliance and Jacqui Lambie joining the Greens.

Queensland Greens senator Larissa Waters hailed the result, and called on the government to back the proposal.

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“After 10 years of attempts by the Greens to clean up politics, the Senate has just passed a Greens bill to set up a federal corruption watchdog with real teeth,” Waters told Guardian Australia.

“Now the pressure is on the government to back this bill in the House, where the crossbench and opposition also want a strong corruption body not the weak, toothless government proposal, which hasn’t moved an inch for almost a year.”

But while the Coalition may be forced into a debate over a procedural motion on whether the bill is voted upon, it will use its numbers in the House of Representatives to prevent a vote taking place.

That means the legislation will languish on the notice paper.

Liberal senator Amanda Stoker derided the Greens for attempting a “cheap shot” on the Coalition. She criticised the model as too expensive and with the potential to become a “tyrant” in its operation.

She called on the crossbench and the opposition to back the government’s alternative federal integrity commission.

“It is well resourced, it is subject to proper processes, it will be effective in such a way as to ensure that all Australians can be confident in their elected representatives and in the public officials who are charged with the duty of giving effect to the work of this place,” Stoker said.

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“It’s got the potential to get the kind of across-the-aisle support that means it could stand the test of time, rather than becoming the kind of political football that the Australian Greens like so much,” she said.



Labor senator Murray Watt criticised the government for not wanting to shine a light on corruption.

He said there was widespread disaffection with the major parties and trust in politics was at a “serious low”.

“The time for a national integrity commission in Australia has never been greater,” he said.

“I certainly believe and Labor believes that establishing a national integrity commission is a fundamental plank in what is needed to restore trust in Australian politics,” he said.

A One Nation spokesman had earlier told Guardian Australia the party would vote against the bill, saying it had several flaws.

The party’s two senators had the potential to vote down the legislation.