publicintegrity
- Last year’s pre-Christmas parliamentary expenses scandal is still reverberating, with the Remuneration Tribunal now recommending tighter rules for family reunion travel. But here’s the bigger issue: parliamentary life is not family-friendly. 1/ #auspol
- We’ve built a system that demands extraordinary professional + personal sacrifice from MPs… while often failing to support them to do the job with integrity — or to leave public life with dignity and a future. 2/
- If we genuinely want a parliament that reflects Australia’s diversity and talent, we have to face the tension: ✅ spend public money wisely ✅ but also provide fair pay, fair entitlements (esp. for families), and fair expectations post-parliament. 3/
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View full threadRead the full piece in today's Mandarin by the Centre's Research Director and Executive Director here: 11/ www.themandarin.com.au/306088-you-c...
- New Vod/Podcast: Money, Power and the Constitution Special release this morning for students attending the National Schools Constitutional Convention, where the Centre's Professor Gabrielle Appleby will deliver the keynote address More links 👇 1/ #auslaw #auspol www.youtube.com/watch?v=NINv...
- Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/3Nyt... 2/
- Apple: podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/m... 3/
- YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NINv... 4/
- The Centre for Public Integrity is calling for the Government to use the new year to strengthen its commitment to transparency. 1/ #auspol
- This includes holding robust public debate and allowing ample parliamentary scrutiny of complex legislation after a series of controversial reforms were rushed through in the past. 2/
- “Given what we have seen over the last year, with the Gov attempting to wind back the right of Australians to access government information, one focus for the centre will continue to be transparency in respect of the exercise of public power” ~ Dr Williams of the organisation’s 2026 priorities 3/
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View full threadFull article here: thenightly.com.au/politics/ant...
- Yesterday, the Senate Committee reviewing the proposed FOI changes released their report... and the Coalition, the Greens, David Pocock and Jackie Lambie all opposed the proposal. #auspol
- “There’s an exemption for whenever the prime minister agrees there should be an exemption. That’s a pretty big discretion.” ~ Research Director Professor Gabrielle Appleby #auspol www.theage.com.au/politics/fed...
- Anthony Whealy KC, Chair of the Centre for Public Integrity: "For years, governments of both persuasion have made appointments to senior public positions with absolute disregard for integrity, transparency and accountability." 1/ #auspol www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
- "This has been a significant blow to democratic principles." 2/
- "It has resulted in a serious lack of trust in government institutions. The low watermark was perhaps the Morrison government’s appointment of a horde of political figures and staffers to the administrative appeals tribunal in the concluding days of the 46th parliament." 3/
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View full thread"By contrast, the reasons given by the government to justify the delay seem quite spurious." 7/
- Media release: Government’s Appointments Framework Falls Short of Ending ‘Jobs for Mates’ #auspol
- On Tuesday morning, the Centre for Public Integrity said the IEC's establishment would "not solve the NT's integrity crisis". www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11... 1/ #auspol
- "Instead, by merging the ombudsman, anti-corruption commission, and health complaints commission into a 'super-commission', they risk making it worse,'" it said in a statement. 2/
- "The NT government should withdraw this bill and reform their integrity system on the basis of a comprehensive and open inquiry." 3/
- Read the Centre's full analysis in our Submission to the NT Parliament: 4/ assets.nationbuilder.com/j4j/pages/20...
- The Centre for Public Integrity said with trust in government at an all-time low, bypassing scrutiny and public input would only further undermine confidence in the process. 1/ #auspol www.canberratimes.com.au/story/911810...
- "These reforms are extensive and highly technical, amending an already complex statutory environment, yet there is no publicly available evidence that adequate public consultation was undertaken," the Centre said. 2/
- The State Development Bill 2025 (WA) has been presented by the WA Gov as: … bold new legislation… to unlock strategic precincts, fast-track approvals for major strategic projects around the State, and maintain WA as the strongest economy in the nation. But... 1/ #auspol
- It establishes a framework for designating “State-significant development” — projects deemed of strategic or economic importance — under which streamlined processes may override or direct functions under existing legislation. 2/
- The result is a sweeping and expedited development regime that may enhance delivery capacity but, in doing so, raises serious integrity and accountability concerns about the concentration of executive power and the erosion of established safeguards. 3/
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View full threadRead the research in full here: publicintegrity.org.au/research_pap... 6/
- With the Government moving the Freedom of Information Amendment Bill 2025 through the House, the Centre for Public Integrity has published fact-checks addressing recent Government claims made in response to parliamentary questions about the Bill. 1/ #auspol
- Claim 1: The Robodebt Royal Commission did not find that Cabinet processes were the problem 2/
- Claim 2: The FOI amendments merely ‘clarify’ the existing Cabinet exemption 3/
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View full threadRead the full research paper for the thorough analysis, including the full claims, the fact check and the findings here: publicintegrity.org.au/research_pap... 7/
