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Submission to the inquiry into codes of conduct for Commonwealth Parliamentary Workplaces

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Summary

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. 

A robust and enforceable code of conduct plays will help mitigate the risk of conflicts of interest and ensure decisions are always, and only, made in the public’s best interest. It will also ensure our elected representatives, and those employed by the public to support them, act with fairness, honesty, openness and respect. 

We support the recommendations of the Australian Human Rights Commission’s Review, Set the Standard: Report on the Independent Review into Commonwealth Parliamentary Workplaces. 

We also endorse the National Integrity (Parliamentary Standards) Bill 2018 and Dr Helen Haines MPs’ equivalent Commonwealth Parliamentary Standards Bill 2020. Together, this legislation and the principles of the Set the Standards report provide an excellent model on which to develop a code of conduct that effectively strengthens the integrity of parliamentary offices and public decision-making. 

Our submission contributes to this broader discussion with a specific focus on our priorities for a code of conduct. 

In conjunction with this submission, please find attached in the Annex a chapter from our 2018 report Australia’s National Integrity System: The Blueprint for Action. This chapter, 

Open, trustworthy decision making, explains why we need a code of conduct for all parliamentarians and their staff, and details a list of recommendations. 

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS 

  1. We need a single, holistic code of conduct for all Commonwealth parliamentarians and their parliamentary staff.
  2. The code of conduct should be legislated and continuously renewed by each parliament.
  3. The code of conduct should be overseen and enforced by an independentParliamentary Integrity Commissioner.
  4. To ensure a high level of integrity in public decision making, the code needs to establish stronger rules to mitigate any real or perceived risks of conflict of interest.