Transparency in Government

Transparency in government is absolutely critical to accountable and democratic representation. I am deeply committed to keeping the Government honest and working hard for the Australians for whom they govern.

This means:

• The urgent establishment of a well-resourced Federal integrity and anti-corruption body
• Real-time disclosure of political donations
• Enhancing whistleblower protections
• Significantly increasing penalties for breaches in Parliamentary entitlements
• Lowering the disclosure threshold for political donations
• Introducing expenditure caps for political campaigns
• A code of conduct for Parliamentarians
• Strengthened freedom of information ('FOI') laws
• Parliamentary committee oversight of intelligence agencies and mandatory security background checking for all ministers
• Supporting a free media and the independence of the ABC and SBS

Results:

• Centre Alliance negotiated the creation and passage of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Enhancing Whistleblower Protections) Bill 2018, which protects individuals in the financial and corporate sectors who report wrongdoing or corruption
• Seconded crossbench legislation to establish a National Integrity (anti-corruption) Commission; this caused the Government to respond by finally agreeing to support and to propose their own federal anti-corruption body
• Introduced legislation that would require real-time disclosure of political donations (and referred to a Parliamentary Committee inquiry)
• Introduced legislation that would a reduction in the donation disclosure threshold from $13,800 to $1,000 (and referred to a Parliamentary Committee inquiry)
• Seconded crossbench legislation to establish a Parliamentary code of conduct
• Sought to increase the penalty for repeated breaches of Parliamentary entitlements by 200%, and by 400% for repeat offenders (as opposed to a mere 25% supported by the Government and the Opposition)
• Centre Alliance introduced various Private Members' Bills to grant Parliamentary committee oversight of intelligence agencies, require mandatory security background checking for all ministers, and to strengthen freedom of information laws

Selected Media Releases:

• Committee's rejection of donation reform a blow for democracy (29 May 2020)
• Electoral committee to review $1,000 political donation threshold (14 February 2020)
• Statement on Community Sports Infrastructure grants (30 January 2020)
• Liberal Party rejection of real-time reporting of political donations a 'joke' (2 December 2019)
• All donations over $1000 to be made public under Centre Alliance Bill (2 December 2019)
• Speaker and former Crossbench colleague receive integrity awards (16 October 2019)
• Royal Commission into casino industry urgently needed (15 October 2019)
• Parliamentary Committee to review donation reform Bill (9 October 2019)
• MP calls for five-day disclosure of political donations (16 September 2019)
• Parliamentary oversight of intelligence agency operations essential as Dutton presses for more power (21 July 2019)
• Patrick moves for Senate probe of Pyne's Ernst & Young Job: Inquiry into post-Ministerial employment rules urgently required (30 June 2019)
• Centre Alliance to push for constitutional protection for freedom of speech (6 June 2019)
• Shameless attack on freedom of the press (5 June 2019)
• Centre Alliance condemns police raid raid on journalist (4 June 2019)
• Corruption watchdog top priority for MP (15 May 2019)
• Parliament passes landmark reforms for Whistleblowers (19 February 2019)
• Centre Alliance Bill to block unwanted political texts and charity calls (13 February 2019)
• Andrew Broad Resignation Underlines the need for Security Checks for Ministers (18 December 2018)
• Bills: Treasury Laws Amendment (Enhancing Whistleblower Protections) Bill 2018 [Senator Rex Patrick] (6 December 2018)
• Centre Alliance backs National Integrity Commission (26 November 2018)
• Coalition opposes enhanced Parliamentary Oversight of Intelligence Agencies (12 November 2018)
• ASIC search fee changes for citizens and journalists (30 July 2018)
• East Timor Bugging Scandal: Referral of Senior Government Officials to Australian Federal Police (12 July 2018)
• Whistleblower Bill needs strengthening (19 April 2018)
• More media releases on Transparency in Government available in Senator Rex Patrick's newsfeed

Speeches in Parliament:

• Motion Seconded to advocate for the release of David McBride (30 November 2020)
• Australian Federal Integrity Commission Bill 2020 [Private Member's Business] (30 November 2020)
• Electoral Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2020 (29 October 2020)
• Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters - Lowering the Donation Disclosure Threshold (12 June 2020)
• Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Lowering the Donation Disclosure Threshold) Bill 2019 [Private Member's Bill] (2 December 2019)
• Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Real Time Disclosure of Political Donations) Bill 2019 [Private Member's Bill] (16 September 2019)
• Principles for an Integrity Commission (29 July 2019)
• Constitution Alteration (Freedom of Expression and Freedom of the Press) 2019 [No. 2] [Private Member's Bill] (29 July 2019)
• Rules on political fundraising in Parliament House (4 April 2019)
• Treasury Laws Amendment (Enhancing Whistleblower Protections) Bill 2018 (18 February 2019)
• National Integrity (Parliamentary Standards) Bill 2018 [Private Member's Bill] (3 December 2018)
• Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Funding and Disclosure Reform) Bill 2018 [Consideration in Detail] (27 November 2018)
• Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Funding and Disclosure Reform) Bill 2018 (27 November 2018)
• Resolution of the Senate - Federal Anti-Corruption Commission (26 November 2018)
• National Integrity Commission Bill 2018 (26 November 2018)
• Parliamentary Business Resources Bill 2017 [Consideration in Detail] (10 May 2017)
• Parliamentary Business Resources Bill 2017 (10 May 2017)
• Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority Bill 2017 (15 February 2017)
• Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority Bill 2017 [Consideration in Detail] (15 February 2017)
• Parliamentary Entitlements Legislation Amendment Bill 2017 [Consideration in Detail #3] (15 February 2017)
• Parliamentary Entitlements Legislation Amendment Bill 2017 [Consideration in Detail #2] (15 February 2017)
• Parliamentary Entitlements Legislation Amendment Bill 2017 [Consideration in Detail #1] (15 February 2017)
• Parliamentary Entitlements Legislation Amendment Bill 2017 (15 February 2017)