Committee responds to corruption watchdog criticism that integrity laws inadequate
After they were labelled inadequate and ineffective by the Crime and Corruption Commission, the Queensland Government’s proposed new integrity laws will again be open to submissions.
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THE Parliamentary Committee tasked with assessing the Government’s proposed integrity laws has reopened submissions after the state’s corruption watchdog savaged them last week.
Crime and Corruption Commission chair Alan Macsporran last week told the committee all MPs including backbenchers should he covered by the tougher laws because they were also involved in decision-making.
In what was an embarrassing day for the Government, Mr Macsporran also said the Bill was “not an effective measure to prevent corruption” and did not implement the CCC’s recommended changes.
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In a letter uploaded online yesterday, Economics and Governance Committee Chair Linus Power invited further submissions.
“While initially consulted on the content of the Bill, the CCC has advised the committee that after having the opportunity to review the provisions in greater detail, it has concluded the proposed amendments ‘do not, as they currently stand … achieve the purposes of the CCC’s recommendations’, calling for the requirements for proof of dishonest intent be removed from the offences, and other accompanying amendments,” Mr Power wrote.
“The CCC has also advised that it considers that offences relating to the contravention of conflict of interest and register of interest requirements should apply to all members of the Queensland Parliament.
“The committee wishes to invite further input from stakeholders regarding the CCC’s proposal to introduce strict liability offences for these serious offences, and to extend their application to all State Members of Parliament, in addition to Ministers and councillors (and councillor advisers).”
He said submissions are to be provided as soon as possible with the committee to still report on the Bill by Friday, February 7.
It comes after Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath yesterday told The Courier-Mail the Government would wait for the committee’s recommendations before deciding whether to expand its proposed integrity laws to include MPs.
The proposed laws were sparked after Deputy Premier Jackie Trad failed to declare a Woolloongabba home she and her husband bought near the $5.4 billion Cross River Rail project, which she managed.
The CCC cleared Ms Trad of corrupt conduct but recommended sweeping changes.
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