"At a time when there is much irritation about the functioning of the political process, in this lecture I want to canvass the difficulty of judging politicians through the lens of integrity because of the layers of responsibility they have and the complexity of many of the issues with which they have to deal. In any particular circumstance the answer to the question, what is the right thing to do, depends on judgements about what interest they are supposed to serve and what policy choices they actually have. How a person of integrity should act is dependent on the nature of the questions faced and in whose or what interest he or she should be acting. Where does the politician’s duty lie? "

Fred Chaney

FOR THE COMPLETE LECTURE, CLICK THE ATTACHMENT.

YouTube Video of Fred Chaney's lecture

Vic election 2010 Party promises to ART.

The Art seeks a public commitment from all parties to restore open, responsible and accountable government by
1.    adopting the Solomon Report and enacting the Right to Information legislative model adopted in Queensland and Tasmania (Appendix A)
2.    restoring Westminster principles by
a)    recommitting to the principles of ministerial accountability and responsibility (Appendix B)
b)    committing to the rejection of the so-called McMullan Principle as being inconsistent with the right and duty of the Parliament to seek information to enable it to hold ministers and the Executive to account (Appendix C)
and to do so by implementing a Ministerial Code (and Ministerial Staff Code re b)) giving effect to those commitments and doing so in legislation in a manner similar to the current Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament.

We have replies to date from the Greens, the National Party and as of 17th November 2010, the Labor Party.  On 19th November the Liberal Party added to the National's response. On 22nd November we received a backgrounder on the Liberals proposed IBAC, attached.

13th Annual Hawke Lecture
Re-thinking Australian Politics: Engaging the Disenchanted 

Delivered by Professor Geoff Gallop AC
Director, Graduate School of Government, The University of Sydney
and Former WA Premier

Wednesday 13 October 2010, Adelaide Town Hall

"Campaign Funding Back on the Agenda" - Peter Mares interviews new Special Minister of State, Gary Gray.

24 September 2010

As a response to the NSW Joint Standing Committee on Election Reform report, the NSW Labor Government has moved to introduce caps to election spending and donations.

From The Australian

Keneally to cap political donations

The minimum actions to restore Parliamentry integrity

Action to restore open and accountable government at a Federal level
1. Parliamentary reform
a)    Independent presiding officers in both houses
b)    Reforms to question time to enable it to function as part of the accountability process
c)    Confirmation of Parliament's right to call the staff of Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries to give evidence and repudiation of the so-called "McMullan Principle".
d)    Ensuring adequate resourcing of Opposition and other parties and independent members.

This is a list to be updated as we hear of new Parliamentary reform promises and suggestions from Parliamentarians and other political players.

Christopher Pyne on time limits on answers, an independent speaker and a guarantee that private member's bills would be voted on

How are the major parties proposing to enhance Parliamentary integrity and accountability?

We have Election 2010 responses from Greens, Coalition and Labor. Read on...

OUR QUESTION 1

Do you support a comprehensive independent integrity system for the Commonwealth incorporating a general purpose Commonwealth anti-corruption agency, which includes educative, research and policy functions and which is provided with all necessary powers and is subject to parliamentary oversight?

OUR QUESTION 2

Do you support an enquiry by the Australian Law Reform Commission into regulation of the funding of political parties and candidates to achieve equality of access and integrity in our democratic system?

PARTIES & CANDIDATES  COMMITMENTS

ACCOUNTABILITY ROUND TABLE CALLS FOR ACTION ON POLITICAL CORRUPTION, DONATIONS

The Accountability Round Table seeks public commitments from all parties and candidates to establish:

1. a comprehensive independent integrity system for the Commonwealth incorporating a general purpose Commonwealth anti-corruption agency, which includes educative, research and policy functions and which is provided with all necessary powers and is subject to parliamentary oversight and

2. an enquiry by the Australian Law Reform Commission into regulation of the funding of political parties and candidates to achieve equality of access and integrity in our democratic system.

ELECTION 2010 PROMISES ON TRANSPARENCY AND INTEGRITY

Labor Party

No new announcements we can find, but the National platform 2009 chapter on governance is downloadable here Download Article...

Chapter 11 - New ways of governing for a stronger democracy

Includes...