Government Confirms Anti-Corruption Bill Can Investigate Third Parties And Pork-Barrelling
"I have seen just how essential and empowered ICAC is to go into the nooks and crannies of the way government deals with corporate Australia."
Attorney General Mark Dreyfus has confirmed that Labor’s National Anti-Corruption Commission will have the power to investigate third parties, as well as combat discretionary government grant schemes known as ‘pork-barreling’.
The government revealed in Question Time on Monday that the highly anticipated National Anti-Corruption Commission will have the scope to investigate people other than politicians involved in systemic government corruption, after criticism last week that the bill wouldn’t have enough power to punish bribers.
Previously, there were concerns the only external stakeholders that could be investigated were those with contracts with government.
— Paul Karp (@Paul_Karp) September 26, 2022
“In relation to third parties, the commission will have broad powers to investigate allegations of serious or systemic corruption of or by a public official,” said Dreyfus said during Question Time. “The commission will be able to investigate a corruption issue that could involve serious or systemic conduct by any person that could adversely affect the honesty or impartiality of a public official’s conduct.”
“If the commission considers the administration of a particular discretionary grants program gives rise to a serious or systemic corruption issue, then the commissioner will have the ability to investigate that issue,” he said.
While the bill due to be presented to parliament on Tuesday will not have guaranteed protections for whistleblowers, Dreyfus has signalled that this will be enshrined in future legislation.
Meanwhile, the Greens have raised concerns about the funding mechanisms of the commission itself, with Senator David Shoebridge calling on the government to protect the funding independence of the anti-corruption body.
“I have come from New South Wales politics and I have seen just how essential and empowered ICAC is to go into the nooks and crannies of the way government deals with corporate Australia. For us it’s a principle that we won’t give away for a timeline,” he told The Guardian.