Tasmanian Integrity Commission ‘weak, underfunded, understaffed’

Claims there is no evidence of systemic corruption in Tasmania have been rubbished by opposition parties after a report skewered the state’s integrity commission.

THE Premier’s claims there is no evidence of systemic corruption in Tasmania have been rubbished by opposition parties, who say that’s because there is no robust and well-funded institution to find it.

Speaking in the wake of a damning Australia Institute analysis of the Tasmanian Integrity Commission, Mr Gutwein said his government was implementing the reforms recommended by an inquiry six years ago.

Six out of the 55 recommendations have been ticked off already.

“I firmly believe that systemic corruption does not exist in Tasmania,” Mr Gutwein told parliament.

Australia Institute Tasmania director Eloise Carr said Tasmania was lagging the nation when it came to having a strong integrity framework.

“Tasmanians deserve the same level of integrity as other Australians when it comes to investigating matters of integrity.

“And our research finds that that’s not currently the case,” she continued.

Independent member for Clark Kristie Johnston said important reforms were coming too slowly.

Independent member for Clark Kristie Johnston speaks to the media on parliament Lawns in Hobart on Thursday, March 10, 2022.

“I think that’s a snowball’s chance in hell that this government will move to reform and strengthen the integrity commission in Tasmania,” she said.

“Integrity is a matter of priority for Tasmanians. They want to be able to have trust and confidence in public authorities and governments and members of parliament and government departments.

Labor leader Rebecca White said the government has been in power for eight years, plenty of time to improve integrity in government.

“Tasmania does have weak oversight laws when it comes to RTI, when it comes to the Integrity Commission, or when it comes to our electoral donation laws. All of these things are within the power of Premier Peter Gutwein to improve.

“And this does call into question the integrity of this government. This report and many others have demonstrated there is a void where the integrity of this government should be

And Greens leader Cassy O’Connor …

“It has been in the Gutwein government’s interests, to keep the Integrity Commission enfeebled to make sure that it doesn’t bare its teeth,” she said.

“So often what you get is mistruths or dishonesty by concealing truth. That is a hallmark of this government.

“This is the Gutwein government that came to office in 2018 on the back of huge donations from vested interests, this is the government that is responsible for the Brooks affair effectively, and it gets up every day in Question Time and lies its face off”.

‘Weak, underfunded, understaffed’: Tassie’s integrity commission slammed

TASMANIA’S Integrity Commission is one of the weakest in the nation and is losing public support, new research shows.

The Australia Institute has published a report comparing the state’s integrity watchdog to its interstate counterparts including the New South Wales ICAC and Queensland’s Crime and Corruption Commission.

Polling conducted at the same time found 48.5 per cent of Tasmanians lacked trust in the Commission’s ability to uncover and prevent misconduct in public administration.

“Tasmania’s Integrity Commission is weak and is losing public trust. It has never held a public hearing,” the report said.

“It has run fewer investigations than any other state’s integrity body. It has the second lowest per capita budget.

“It has only ever referred two people for prosecution, the lowest number of any state. “Tasmania’s Commission needs broader jurisdiction, public hearings and more funding.”

Former Sports Minister Jane Howlett

The adequacy of Tasmania’s integrity safeguards have been thrown into sharp focus in recent weeks by claims former Sports Minister Jane Howlett may have had a conflict of interested because of a personal relationship with the CEO of the JackJumpers basketball team.

The claims are denied. In state parliament on Wednesday, the government voted down a Labor motion for an independent inquiry. Labor Leader Rebecca White would not comment on whether the Integrity Commission was investigating the matter.

Report co-author Eloise Carr said that by comparison to other jurisdictions, Tasmania’s Integrity Commission was poorly designed with weak powers, limited scope, insufficient staff, inadequate funding and conducted few investigations.

Ms Carr said the Commission had been unable to investigate claims of wrongdoing surrounding the last two state elections including the Adam Brooks affair and concerns about a flood of anonymous donations.

Australia Institute Tasmania director Eloise Carr.

“There has never been a more important time for transparency and accountability in Tasmanian politics, but our research reveals the Integrity Commission Tasmania is all bark and no bite,” said Eloise Carr, Director of the Australia Institute Tasmania.

“In contrast with other integrity bodies around Australia, the Commission has never held a public inquiry or public hearing.

“In the wake of Ministerial resignations and a growing distrust in politics, Tasmanians deserve the same standards of integrity and accountability as the rest of Australia.

“For Tasmanians to have confidence in our Integrity Commission we recommend a broader jurisdiction, that the Commission hold public hearings and boosted funding.”

The Australia Institute is an independent public policy think tank based in Canberra.

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