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
- Centre Alliance supported the establishment of the Royal Commissions on age care, disability services and veterans suicide
