Decade-old integrity reforms will be progressed ‘soon’ Premier says
Premier Jeremy Rockliff makes a pledge on when reforms to the Integrity Commission, proposed ten years ago, would progress after Andrew Jenner raises the issue in parliament.
Tasmania
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Reforms to the Integrity Commission proposed ten years ago would be progressed “as soon as possible”, Premier Jeremy Rockliff has pledged.
Former Supreme Court Justice William Cox conducted an independent review of the Integrity Commission Act in 2016.
The government has failed to act on more than 40 of his recommendations for reform.
Jacqui Lambie Network MP Andrew Jenner asked the government about the delay in parliament on Wednesday.
In his answer, Premier Jeremy Rockliff pointed to a discussion paper released in 2022.
“The Cox review made 55 recommendations and the government has accepted the majority of those recommendations in full or in principle,” he said.
“Six of these recommendations are now complete, addressing technical and other relatively straightforward matters.”
Mr Rockliff said significant work had been done progressing the reforms.
“I am advised that the Department of Justice is now drafting a plan for staged implementation of recommendations, with an aim to bring additional legislation to the parliament as soon as possible to allow time for drafting and efficient stakeholder consultation,” he said.
The Integrity Commission has been struggling with underfunding, the lack of its own in-house legal counsel and is locked in a battle with the parliament to be able to access to MP’s emails, which are protected under parliamentary privilege.
The state government in February abandoned plans to hold an independent review to “beef-up” the powers of the Integrity Commission.
The inquiry was one of the conditions of a deal struck between the Liberals and the Jacqui Lambie Networks then newly elected three MPs after last year’s state election.
The Integrity Commission has two long-running investigations into state MPs, both dating back to 2022.
Investigation Loyetea is examining “a number of allegations that an elected representative failed to declare and manage a conflict of interest”.
Investigation Olegas is looking into claims that a grants program improperly used public funds to pursue electoral goals and that conflicts of interest were not properly declared.
Originally published as Decade-old integrity reforms will be progressed ‘soon’ Premier says
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