ICAC wants NSW MPs to disclose interests of kids and partners to stop potential rorts
NSW MPs would be forced to disclose property and financial interests of their children and partners under a dramatic shake-up being proposed by the State’s corruption watchdog — and follows the jailing of former Labor MP Eddie Obeid.
NSW
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NSW MPs will have to disclose the property and financial interests of their children and partners under a dramatic shake-up of the parliament code of conduct being proposed by the state’s corruption watchdog.
The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption also wants MPs to be banned from using confidential information for “improper advantage”, such as leaking information to “discredit a political rival”.
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And, in a move designed to lift MP conduct, ICAC also wants the code preamble to be overhauled with parliamentarians to not only pledge to act with honesty and integrity but with “selflessness”.
The recommendations have been put to a state parliamentary inquiry reviewing the code, chaired by Liberal MP Natasha Maclaren-Jones, with ICAC chief commissioner Peter Hall QC also wanting it to detail what sanctions might apply to members who breach its provisions.
The proposed lifting of standards for MPs follows the jailing of former Labor minister Eddie Obeid for misconduct in public office in relation to his family’s secret business dealings at Circular Quay.
The recommendations come more than two decades since ICAC first warned that the interests of close associates were capable of influencing a member’s conduct.
In its latest submission, Mr Hall said requiring third party interest disclosures would help mitigate the perception MPs were trying to avoid scrutiny.
“At present, the statutory regime regarding the disclosure of pecuniary interests does not require members to disclose the interests of spouses, domestic partners or dependent children,” he said. “Expanding the registers … would minimise perceptions of members avoiding scrutiny and deal with the potential for family interests to influence decision-making.”
Other changes ICAC wants to see includes broadening Clause 5 of the code where it relates to the use of confidential information. “Clause 5 prohibits a member from knowingly and improperly using confidential information for the benefit of themselves and others,” its submission said. “This clause could be broadened to include types of improper advantage where it is difficult to substantiate a direct private benefit, for example the improper leaking of information to discredit a political rival.”