The Victorian Greens have welcomed the Victorian Labor Government’s decision to finally move to establish a Parliamentary Integrity Commissioner, after knocking back several attempts by the Greens to establish one since 2019.
The Greens say the state’s integrity standards have fallen well behind the rest of the country, and a Commissioner would be an important step in improving recent poor behaviour and standards of Labor Members and Ministers.
However, the Greens have said all integrity reforms must be brought on as a matter of urgency, and not again delayed until sometime next year as flagged by the government.
The Greens also say that at a minimum, Victoria’s integrity regime needs urgent further reforms to include:
- Strengthening the powers of IBAC. To give the independent watchdog broader jurisdiction to investigate MPs, Ministers, parliamentary secretaries and lobbyists.
- Legislating the codes of conduct for ministers, advisors and lobbyists. To strengthen transparency on potential conflicts of interest between current government Ministers and lobbyists, and establish penalties for non-compliance.
- Making Ministerial diaries public. Requiring the meetings of Ministers and parliamentary secretaries to be published, as is the case in other states.
- Stopping the revolving door between ministers, advisors and lobbying/consultancy jobs. Establishing tougher rules to prevent conflicts of interest between former members of government working as private contractors.
Victorian Greens integrity spokesperson, Dr Tim Read, said that it should not have taken recent IBAC investigations and media scandals to bring about announcing basic integrity reforms.
He noted that since 2019 when the Labor Government voted against a Greens’ amendment to introduce a Parliamentary Integrity Commissioner, Victorian politics had been marked by repeated poor behaviour and scandals largely relating to members of the government.
He said there was no need for the government to delay introducing these reforms, nor the rest of the Victorian Greens’ integrity policy platform.
As stated by Victorian Greens integrity spokesperson, Dr Tim Read:
“In the four years since Labor first voted against the Greens to establish a Parliamentary Integrity Commissioner, numerous government MPs have come under fire for their dodgy behaviour.
“It’s good to see the government finally move on this, but it shouldn’t be held off until sometime next year.
“For too long Victoria has fallen way behind the rest of the country when it comes to parliamentary integrity.
“Lobbyists enjoy cosy relationships with government ministers and advisors and as recent investigations have made clear, misconduct is rife.
“Without stronger checks and balances, how can Victorians trust in the integrity of government decisions?
“Along with a Commissioner we need to strengthen IBAC, legislate codes of conduct for Ministers, and make Ministerial diaries public.”
