Transparency International Australia and leading advocates are calling on the parliament to strengthen transparency measures in the new Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission (IPSC) legislation before the bill is adopted.
Parliamentary code of conduct
We support a Parliamentary Code of Conduct that will ensure respect and integrity in the Australian Parliament.
Transparency International Australia supports a robust and enforceable code of conduct for all Commonwealth parliamentarians and parliamentary staff so that they act with the highest degree of respect and integrity.
Federal Ministerial Standards and political integrity are once again put to the test with conflicts of interest and undue influence at risk.
Australia’s National Integrity System: The Blueprint for Action shows us how we can build a stronger, fairer and more accountable system of government.
We need greater transparency over lobbying, checks on undue influence and a code of conduct for parliamentarians to make sure decisions are fair and honest.
We need caps on political campaign expenditure, donation limits and real-time disclosure for donations and sanctions against misleading campaign conduct.
This comprehensive blueprint looks at Australia’s whole framework of integrity institutions and shows us how we can act to make our system better.
TIA supports this bill, it is part of a much-needed package of pro-integrity reform.
The appointment of Christopher Pyne, former Minister of Defence, illustrates weaknesses in the regulation and oversight of the Ministerial Standards and the influence of lobbyists as a defining feature of Australia’s political landscape.