The ACT is the only Australian jurisdiction without a dedicated parliamentary committee on integrity – and it remains so, despite the Canberra Liberals’ attempt to set one up this week.
The government voted down Liberal leader Elizabeth Lee’s proposal for a Standing Committee for Integrity because they claim it would perform the same functions as another committee – but in Ms Lee’s view, neither Labor nor the Greens have any interest in integrity, or in being open and transparent.
On Thursday, Ms Lee called for the government set up a Standing Committee that would monitor and report on the Integrity Commission; inquire into integrity matters referred to it by the Legislative Assembly, or were of concern to the community; and examine matters related to integrity in public administration. It would deal with annual reviews, annual estimates, and the budget.
Currently, the Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety (JACS) oversees the Integrity Commission; Ms Lee’s proposal would have omitted the Commission from JACS’s area of responsibility.
The Liberals themselves requested that JACS be responsible for the Commission when it was set up, but now they believe recent scandals – such as the Campbell Primary School modernisation project, or the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) contracts – show the need for a standalone committee.
“We’re talking about serious issues of integrity, of lack of accountability and transparency,” Ms Lee said.
Last year, the Auditor-General found the Campbell Primary School procurement lacked probity, and in February, the ACT Integrity Commission suspected that other building and construction procurement might be corrupt. The Liberals have alleged that education minister Yvette Berry was aware of potential problems before the Auditor-General published his report; the minister has denied this.
- Canberra Liberals accuse Berry over Campbell procurement (5 April)
- Liberals call for audit of ACT Government procurements (1 March)
- Building tenderers urged to report suspicious procurement processes (23 February)
Similarly, the CIT spent nearly $9 million on “jargon-ridden and opaque” contracts with the same contractor over five years. The Liberals claim that Chief Minister Andrew Barr and skills minister Chris Steel have refused to be up front about what they knew, when they knew, and why they failed to act. The Liberals moved a no-confidence motion in Mr Steel, accusing him of “shocking misuse of public funds” and negligence; it failed.
- Liberals say government not answering questions about CIT contracts (22 July)
- Integrity commission to review CIT contracts (23 June)
- Liberals concerned by Kate Lundy’s appointment as CIT chair (22 June)
- Chris Steel will use ministerial powers to direct CIT (17 June)
- Elizabeth Lee: CIT internal review ‘rings alarm bells’ (17 June)
- CIT promises independent audit of multi-million Think Garden contract (15 June)
- CIT’s $9 million contracts a concern for taxpayers (7 June)
There may be other lapses of probity, Ms Lee believes; the Integrity Commission may be investigating integrity issues the community has raised.
In the last term, Ms Lee said, the public was concerned about land swap deals, such as one with the Dickson Tradies Club, or with the National Capital Authority for part of the West Basin.
The ACT Government has been in power for more than 20 years, and, Ms Lee said, there is “a bit of a stench” around any government that has been in power for so long.
“Some of those concerns have not gone away; some of those concerns are still there.”
Ms Lee envisaged a committee chaired by a Liberal MLA – as JACS is, by Peter Cain – that would comprise two MLAs nominated by the Labor-Greens government and two Liberal MLAs.
Her proposal was voted down; the ACT Government argued that it would be redundant, since it would duplicate JACS’s work.
JACS’s remit is to examine matters related to corruption and integrity in public administration, and oversee the Integrity Commission. It is also responsible for the ACT Ombudsman, the Attorney-General, policing, gaming, human rights, and the Public Trustee and Guardian.
“JACS has a more holistic view than a standalone committee would,” Greens MLA Andrew Braddock, the Greens JACS member, said.
“Further dilution of integrity matters to yet another committee will not assist matters.”
The Commission, established in 2019, has Australia’s strongest integrity framework, an ACT Government spokesperson said.
“We are confident in the Commission’s ability to investigate issues and act with objectivity… What Ms Lee has called for is unnecessary, and might undermine the work of the Integrity Commission.”
Mr Braddock noted that a review of the Integrity Commission Act was underway, and there were proposals to amend the legislation.
“It’s a real shame for our community, who expect and deserve better from the government,” Ms Lee said.
“I want to say straight to every single member of the Labor and Greens government that voted against this motion: You are on notice … that you have taken every step to vote down any measures to strengthen integrity, transparency, and accountability in government; and you are on notice that the public will not forget and will not forgive this.”
