our work
Promoting ACCOUNTABLE Government
Our Work
We want a more accountable government, a democracy governed with transparency, accountability and integrity.
Democracy thrives when people can see, understand and participate in the decisions that affect their lives, when decision-makers are accountable for their actions, and when leaders lead with integrity.
Unfortunately, Australia’s score on the international Corruption Perceptions Index has seen a decade of decline – meaning more than a dozen expert global analyses see public sector corruption to be getting worse. Meanwhile dozens of opinion polls show Australians are losing confidence in their elected representatives and system of government.
Australia has a proud democratic tradition. We led the world with many democratic reforms throughout our history. We can make democracy work better for the common good, and ensure the government enacts laws that reflect the will of the people, support the community and protect the natural environment.
Our priorities
A strong national integrity commission
We need a strong, effective and well-coordinated national integrity commission that can prevent, detect and stop corruption
Better protections for whistleblowers
We want clearer laws, and consistent and world-leading protection for whistleblowers and public interest journalism
Open, trustworthy decision-making
We need simple and consistent rules to prevent unfair influence over policy and funding decisions
Australia’s global corruption ranking
We need to keep track of how Australia’s level of corruption is perceived around the world, and take efforts to stop corruption
Read our submission to the NACC enquiry
The proposed National Anti-Corruption Commission Bill can be better
Our submission to the Parliamentary Committee includes recommendations for
- improving the public hearings test,
- ensuring the appointment of the NACC’s future Commissioners enjoys broad parliamentary support,
- ensuring independent budget tracks for the Commission,
- greater whistleblower protections, and
- a clear path forward for for broader integrity reform.
Corruption Perceptions Index
Australia is now in 18th place, scoring just 73 points on the 100-point scale.
Since 2012, Australia’s score has dropped 12 points, and our rank in the global index has fallen 11 places.
Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index is the leading global indicator of public sector corruption, providing an annual comparative snapshot of 180 countries and territories.
This year’s report focuses on corruption and human rights. More corrupt regimes tend to deliberately suppress the rights of their citizens, leaving people less able to tackle corruption.
Integrity Pack
Our Integrity Pack for Australian Federal Parliamentarians highlights the key integrity reforms we must enact to build a more democratic Australia.
The 47th Parliament presents a key opportunity to enact integrity reforms the Australian people have long been demanding and which featured prominently in the 2022 election campaign.
Australia can and must do better. With key integrity reforms, this federal parliament can build a fairer, more open, and more accountable system of government, where our elected representatives stand up for the best interests of all Australians.
National Anti-Corruption Commission
After two decades of debate, Australia is close to introducing a new agency for combatting federal government corruption.
However, there is intense debate over whether the new commission will deliver the system that the community needs and expects.
Now that the federal government has introduced legislation to Parliament, we have an opportunity to establish a best-practice model.
We need a strong, effective and well-coordinated national integrity commission that can prevent, detect and stop corruption.
Whistleblower protection
Whistleblowing is the single most important trigger – and often the first trigger for bringing problems to light.
Aspects of Australia’s private sector whistleblower protections lead the world. However, public sector protections lag behind. Loopholes, inconsistencies and lack of enforcement undermine their effectiveness, often leaving them as paper tigers.
We want clearer laws, and consistent and world-leading protection for whistleblowers and public interest journalism.
We are also calling for a whistleblowing protection authority to provide better assistance to whistleblowers, investigative agencies and regulators.
OPEN, TRUSTWORTHY DECISION-MAKING
We need to trust that decision-making is fair, honest and free of undue influence.
We need simple and consistent rules to prevent unfair influence over policy and funding decisions.
We can do this with greater transparency over lobbying and political donations, a comprehensive code of conduct for all parliamentarians, and proper penalties for deceptive political campaigning.
We are working with a movement of like-minded organisations and people who are demanding a fairer democracy.