Premier Steven Marshall to bring open ICAC hearings legislation into Parliament ‘as soon as possible’ when sitting starts in May

PUBLIC hearings of the state’s secretive Independent Commission Against Corruption could be held by year’s end, as new transparency laws are set to be rushed into State Parliament.

• New Labor Leader Peter Malinauskas elected

PUBLIC hearings of the state’s secretive Independent Commission Against Corruption could be held by year’s end, as new transparency laws are rushed into State Parliament.

Premier Steven Marshall emerged from Cabinet on Monday to reveal the matter would be dealt with “as soon as possible” once the Parliament begins sitting next month.

Establishing the ICAC was one of the first moves of former premier Jay Weatherill when he took the role in 2011, but the watchdog has since been criticised as the most secretive in the nation after laws demanded it hold a series of maladministration inquiries behind closed doors.

Mr Marshall said Labor had been “dragged kicking and screaming” by the Liberals into setting up an ICAC in the first place, and should now agree to making it more transparent.

“They didn’t want an ICAC here in SA. In fact, they said there was no need,” Mr Marshall said. “Of course, since the ICAC was established there has been a steady stream of inquiries.”

ICAC boss Bruce Lander has requested the power to decide when inquiries are held in public, and said it could boost public confidence that the investigations he conducts are thorough.

He has not requested the right to hold corruption investigations in public, fearing it could compromise the collection of evidence that would later be litigated in a criminal court.

However, Mr Lander wants the ability to have open hearings on maladministration matters that expose “poor governance” including inferior public sector practices, policies and procedures.

Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Bruce Lander. Picture: Dylan Coker

During the election campaign, he released the findings of a private investigation into the Oakden aged care facility that included interrogations of former ministers Leesa Vlahos and Jack Snelling. Former treasurer Tom Koutsantonis was also cross-examined during a maladministration inquiry into the Gillman land deal that was undertaken behind closed doors.

Mr Marshall said he expected the legislation would “go through” even without Labor’s support, given Upper House crossbenchers’ strong past backing of open ICAC hearings.

Attorney-General Vickie Chapman said she hoped the legislation would pass by mid-year and discussions would be held with Mr Lander about when the first open hearings could be held.

She left open the prospect of giving Mr Lander the option of having open hearings into matters that were currently under investigation, or just new inquiries as they commence.

“Once the powers are implemented it’s likely that whatever is current, or to come, would be applied,” Ms Chapman said. “But that’s part of the detail to be discussed with Mr Lander.”

Mr Marshall said the Government was also willing to release Cabinet documents to the ICAC.

Labor elected former health minister Peter Malinauskas as its new leader on Monday and named a frontbench which is yet to meet formally and decide new policy positions.

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