After extensive consultation and widespread condemnation of its “toothless” proposal for an anti-corruption watchdog, the federal government has not changed a single word of its planned legislation.
But it won’t be putting the bill to Parliament before the federal election.
Attorney-General Michaelia Cash says the government is “not progressing” with its planned anti-corruption watchdog at this stage.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Late last year Prime Minister Scott Morrison tabled in the lower house what he said was the bill to set up an anti-corruption watchdog – although the government is yet to formally introduce it for debate.
The government’s preferred model for the watchdog has been slammed by legal experts and integrity campaigners as lacking teeth or sufficient powers. Labor, the Greens and independent MPs have also criticised the model.
Mr Morrison announced in December 2018 he would create a Commonwealth integrity commission, noting work on it had been under way since January that year.
Initial consultation was held throughout the next two years and the government released an exposure draft bill in November 2020. It held further consultation on this until March 2021, attracting 333 submissions, and several roundtables with expert panels.
But officials from the Attorney-General’s Department confirmed to a Senate estimates hearing on Tuesday that what the Prime Minister tabled was the exposure draft released for consultation in November 2020.
“So there were no changes?” incredulous Labor senator Murray Watt asked.
“No,” came the reply from assistant secretary Esther Bogaart.
Attorney-General Michaelia Cash told the committee the government still believed its model was the most appropriate.
“The government listened to the feedback and determined that the model that it has is the appropriate model,” she said.
Labor’s Karen Grogan asked why they bothered consulting. “It’s a glorious waste of everyone’s time,” she said.
“We considered the feedback and on the basis of the feedback, we determined that the model we have is the appropriate model,” Senator Cash responded.
“We have a model. The model is out there for all to see. We have said we’re willing to commit to passing that model. But the reality remains, the Australian Greens and the Australian Labor Party do not support that model.”
However, she conceded it was unlikely to be introduced before the federal election, which will be held before late May, saying twice that “the government’s not progressing with it at this stage”.