Greens MP Vica Bayley says Integrity Commission “too weak” to do its job

The Greens have plans to set up a new anti-corruption watchdog to replace the ‘toothless’ Integrity Commission. What they are proposing.

Parliament House Hobart.

The Greens have revealed plans for a new Anti-Corruption Commission as a watchdog over Tasmanian politicians.

It would replace the Integrity Commission which deputy Greens leader Vica Bayley said was “too weak to do the job it was set up to do”.

“Tasmanians rightly expect politicians and other public officials to act in the public interest, to follow the law, and play by the rules,” he said.

“They expect them to be investigated and held accountable when they don’t.

“Unfortunately, the current system is not doing a good enough job of making sure that happens.”

Mr Bayley was critical recently of the Integrity Commission’s decision to abandon reforms to lobbying rules without explanation.

“There are investigations into multiple members of parliament that have been stalled for years,” he said.

“Another investigation is at least six years old.

“And the agency has never once in its history held a public hearing.”

Vica Bayley Greens deputy leader. Inquiry into discrimination and bullying in Tasmanian schools. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Mr Bayley said the Liberals had “starved” the Integrity Commission of the funding it needs and refused to reform it.

He said the Greens’ plan for an Anti-Corruption Commission would implement long overdue reforms from the independent Cox Review, the Commission of Inquiry, and the Weiss Review.

“We will make sure there’s a strong Lobbying Code of Conduct.

“But we will also go further, by closing loopholes to make sure politicians can be investigated for corruption and misconduct at all times – which absurdly is not the case right now.

“And crucially, we will make sure there are real consequences for their actions.”

The Greens would invest an extra $1.5m a year to take the annual funding to $5.3m which Mr Bayley said was “a small price to pay for an Anti-Corruption Commission with real teeth”.

After the handing down of this year’s state budget the Greens said the Integrity Commission was being “wilfully underfunded” and was the lowest funded integrity body in Australia.

But the government said it had “consistently increased” funding to the commission in the past 10 years.

The Integrity Commission recently abandoned the implementation of new rules for the state’s lobbying industry.

Integrity Commission CEO Ellen McKenzie, wrote to state MPs telling them that the updated Lobbying Code of Conduct would not be introduced as scheduled on July 1.

Sydney lawyer Ellen McKenzie is the new Tasmanian Integrity Commission chief.

At the time, Mr Bayley said the decision was another example of why reform of the Integrity Commission was desperately needed.

“We know lobbyists for the pokies barons, big salmon, logging, property developers, and other special interests are extremely influential in Tasmania,” he said.

“There hasn’t been an explanation about why the Integrity Commission took this decision, but we do know Liberal and Labor politicians have actively pushed back on these reforms.”

In her letter to parliamentarians, Ms McKenzie said the state existing Lobbying code of Conduct would continue to apply.

Originally published as Greens MP Vica Bayley says Integrity Commission “too weak” to do its job