NSW decision puts corruption bodies in the spotlight

What a paradox with the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption having claimed the scalp of one of Australia’s most popular and successful premiers, Gladys Berejiklian, as witnessed with her safe pair of hands and proficient handling of Covid and the fires that swept NSW early last year, notwithstanding her mistake of falling for the wrong person (“Gladys told she was on safe legal ground”, 4/10).

While in South Australia both houses of state parliament speedily and unanimously passed a bill introduced by SA Best MLC Frank Pangallo to impede the policing of corruption activities by local government that otherwise might be hidden from the public.

And in Victoria the hotel quarantine inquiry into the deaths of nearly 800 people was unable to determine who was responsible for those decisions, although the Victorian health department now is being sued for $95m by WorkSafe at what one would assume will be taxpayers’ expense.

To the average guy in the street it should not have been Berejik­lian who made the decision to fall on her sword.

Ian Kent, Renmark, SA

In Queensland, the state’s Crime and Corruption Commission is under fire from its parliamentary oversight committee in relation to an investigation of several Logan City councillors. Counsel assisting the inquiry savaged the CCC head, charging that the organisation repeatedly had failed to act with fairness and impartiality.

In South Australia, as David Penberthy tells us, legislation to restore some semblance of fairness to the investigative activities of that state’s Independent Commissioner Against Corruption has passed both houses of parliament unopposed – except by the commissioner.

And so we come to NSW. At the time that state desperately needs the continued leadership provided through the pandemic by Gladys Berejiklian, ICAC chooses to destroy her career over historical matters that in no sense require resolution at this precise time. For years now the authority of parliaments has been inexorably leaching away to any number of unelected tribunals of which the various state star chambers are arguably the most dangerous.

But credit where it’s due, however, for was ever a shot across the bows of parliaments come late to an awareness of the threat to their historical prerogatives more exquisitely timed?

Terry Birchley, Bundaberg, Qld

I agree with Judy Hungerford (Letters, 4/10) that ICAC has a role to play but its practices in the past have been less than exemplary at times. It has taken a year for it to announce the findings in respect of Gladys Berejiklian and there’s still a way to go. Reputations and careers can be destroyed even where the person under investigation is cleared. There have to be checks, balances and accountability. The editorial in the same edition reports on the star chamber methods being used in Myanmar against Aung San Suu Kyi, more extreme, of course, than in this country, but we don’t want to risk going down that path. It’s what our parliamentary and legal system should be able to address adequately. When the original Star Chamber ultimately abused its power, it was abolished in 1641.

Roseanne Schneider, Toowoomba, Qld

Regardless of your views about the NSW ICAC, one has to be concerned about Barnaby Joyce’s ill-considered contribution to the debate. Joyce says it is like the Spanish Inquisition, which in itself is an idiotic comparison, but his comment that it makes “politicians afraid to do their job” is very worrying. Does Joyce mean that the only way politicians can do their job is by being corrupt? One hopes not.

Ross Hudson, Mount Martha, Vic

A classy, heartfelt resignation speech from John Barilaro and best wishes to him and his family for the future. Most importantly, once the new NSW Liberal and National leadership positions are confirmed, the next mission critical power issue the Coalition needs to resolve is that of energy minister.

Hopefully, a refreshed NSW Coalition team will revise its stance to reflect that of federal colleague senator Matt Canavan. His advocacy for coal as the reliable, affordable baseload reality is the undeniable truth and should, for preference, provide inspiration for Premier-elect Dominic Perrottet to make NSW the commonsense superpower state.

Mandy Macmillan, Singleton, NSW