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.

CORRUPTION

The present Commonwealth government integrity system includes Parliament (especially its committees), Courts, administrative review tribunals, Director of Public Prosecutions, oversight bodies such as the Ombudsman and the Auditor General, FOI and an independent anti corruption body, the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity (ACLEI). During the 1970s, Australia introduced important reforms in administrative law and the last Parliament saw some important developments. However, the Australian government integrity system is no longer up to international best practice (or even that of some Australian states). In particular, the jurisdiction of the ACLEI is seriously limited. It is confined to preventing, detecting, and investigating serious and systemic corruption issues in two Commonwealth law enforcement agencies: the Australian Federal Police and Australian Crime Commission.

For more see attachment below

DONATIONS

The Accountability Round Table’s starting premise is that the cost of election campaigns should be borne entirely by the State. In support of its position the Accountability Round Table makes the following points

• the purpose of election campaigning should be to enable voters to go to the ballot box with a reasonably informed view of how they want to cast their vote rather than to sell the political party or candidate.

• as election campaign expenditure has grown, so too has the time that has to be spent raising money by those we elect to govern for us. Such time would be better spent considering the complex policy issues that we face.

• the majority of privately funded donations, whether from corporations or individuals, are a cost borne by the consumer, and one which, in the case of corporations and trade unions, may not necessarily be in accord with the wishes of the ultimate source.

• advertising expenditure by incumbent governments should be subject to rigorous guidelines based on the following principles

– material should be relevant to government responsibilities

– material should be presented in an objective, fair and accessible manner; and

– material should not be directed at promoting party political interests.

• more rigorous standards and monitoring of advertising expenditure by incumbent governments would also release funds for public funding.

For more see attachment below

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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…

Simultaneous, fixed four-year terms for the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Establishing an Ethics Advisory Service in the APSC.

Introducing a Code of Conduct for Ministerial Staff with a focus on ensuring productive and
respectful working relationships between ministers, their staff and public servants.

Introducing a Register and Code of Conduct for Lobbyists to ensure transparency in the
dealings between private and commercial interests, the government and the public service.

Continuing Community Cabinet meetings across Australia and ensuring
that Ministers at the highest levels are made available through these public forums

As a minimum, restore the 7-day enrolment period after the issuing of election writs.

Promote transparency and accountability by strengthening FOI and promoting a prodisclosure
culture across Australian Government agencies

Provide shield laws to protect confidential sources and recognise the public interest in giving
the community appropriate access to information.

Labor believes that government advertising should be governed by strict guidelines that ensure the
need for government communication campaigns is assessed by public servants rather than
politicians, that politicians are not involved in the development of advertising campaigns, and that
the Auditor-General provides an opinion on whether each campaign meets the guidelines.

Ensuring the ongoing use of the Lobbying Code of Conduct and Lobbyist Register.

Maintaining adherence to the requirements of the code by public officials.

Reviewing the operations of the Lobbying Code of Conduct and the Lobbyist Register after an
appropriate period of operation.

Whistle Blower protection

Make government operations more transparent by releasing information about the costs of
government advertising, the costs of ministerial and parliamentary travel and related matters.

Ensuring parliamentary entitlements are efficiently used and properly monitored with a high
degree of transparency.

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Liberal National Coalition

New announcements

The Coalition will reform Question Time

01/08/10

“Our reforms will make Parliamentary Question Time more concise and ensure Ministers are held to account and remain relevant to questions asked,” Mr Pyne said.

“We would seek to introduce four minute cap of the length of answers by Ministers, and a one minute limit to length of questions,” he said.

“We will look to strengthen the definition of ‘relevance’ in the standing orders so Ministers must stay directly relevant to questions and ensure Matter of Public Importance debates follow ‘Question Time’.

See more on the Liberal’s website here

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This was not the first call from Christpher Pyne for reform to limit question length. Earlier ones set a one minute limit

see

Pyne calls for reform of Question Time

JULIAN DRAPE

October 11, 2009

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Michell Grattan reports Coalition pledge here

with the comment "Oppositions usually propose parliamentary reform but rarely deliver."

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Australian Greens

Relatively new announcments

Greens will make Government more open and accountable

20/07/2010

Australian Green’s package on openness and integrity

Establish a national independent integrity and anti-corruption commission to oversee prevention and investigation of misconduct and corruption in Commonwealth agencies, federal parliamentarians, the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Crimes Commission.
Legislate for a code of conduct for lobbyists, ministers and ministerial staff, including ‘in-house’ lobbyists from Government agencies. The Lobbyists and Ministerial Accountability Bill would require ministers to divest themselves of all shares or move them to a blind trust as well and prohibit them and their advisers from working as lobbyists in their former portfolio area for two years.
Legislate guidelines for Government advertising spending over $250,000 to prevent taxpayer money being used for political campaigns.

Greens move to ban handing out how-to-vote cards

28th March 2010

Australian Greens leader Bob Brown will move amendments to electoral laws to prevent handing out of how-to-vote cards at federal elections.

"Action to stop misleading information from being given to voters at elections is needed urgently before the next federal election," said Senator Brown.

"Voters do not need to be harassed as they approach polling places on election-day.

"Similar bans already exist for state elections in Tasmania and the ACT.

"Banning the handing out of how-to-vote cards would prevent activities such as those witnessed in the South Australian election where misleading Family First cards preferencing Labor were distributed.

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Guarantee truth in advertising and electoral reform for 2010 election

12th February 2010

New electoral reforms should include truth in advertising and be brought to the Senate in the next sitting period said Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown today.

The Greens support measures in new legislation for electoral reform introduced into the House of Representatives today including giving voters more time to enrol after an election is called.

"This legislation will enfranchise hundreds of thousands of first-time voters and should be passed as soon as possible to ensure changes are made before the coming federal election," said Senator Brown.

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THE PARLIAMENTARY INTEGRITY AWARDS – WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

June 15 2010

PETRO GEORGIOU AND JOHN FAULKNER ANNOUNCED WINNERS OF INAUGURAL PARLIAMENTARY INTEGRITY AWARDS

Most attempts to improve political behaviour are based on negative consequences, curbing excesses by regulation and sanction. The Accountability Round Table awards are an endeavour to reward good parliamentary behaviour and recognise integrity rather than simply penalising the absence of it. On Tuesday 15th June, at Parliament House Canberra, the two inaugural awards were made.

The Button Prize named after the late Labor Senator, John Button recognising the integrity of a current Minister went to Defence Minister John Faulkner. The Missen Prize for backbencher integrity, named after Liberal backbencher Alan Missen, went to retiring Liberal backbencher Petro Georgiou

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AWARD SPEECHES

The Hon, Sir Anthony Mason AC KBE

Senator the Hon John Faulkner (Lab)

Petro Georgiou MP Member for Kooyong (Lib)

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AWARDS NEWS

Two MPs receive awards for integrity
Sydney Morning Herald June 15, 2010 – 9:14PM
The Age June 15, 2010
Bigpond News Wednesday, June 16, 2010 » 06:52am
Business Spectator 9:28 PM, 15 Jun 2010
Herald Sun June 16, 2010 4:10AM
Daily Telegraph June 16, 2010 4:10AM

Faulkner, Georgiou honoured for integrity
ABC News Online Posted Wed Jun 16, 2010 6:35am AEST

Ex-judge criticises Australian politics
The Age June 15, 2010

April 2010

THE ACCOUNTABILITY ROUND TABLE ANNOUNCES

THE PARLIAMENTARY INTEGRITY AWARDS

The public picture of politicians rarely includes those politicians who conduct themselves with integrity, respecting the need for honest, open and accountable government. In addition, there is no public recognition of their integrity and no system to reward or encourage such integrity. The “Parliamentary Integrity Awards” are intended to fill that gap.

The ACCOUNTABILITY ROUND TABLE has created two Parliamentary Integrity Awards for federal parliamentarians. They honour two former members of the federal Parliament, John Button and Alan Missen, in recognition of their outstanding commitment to the values, purposes and duties for which power was entrusted to them as members of the Australian Parliament.

Election 2010 – Integrity and Transparency Commitments