The Liberals and Nationals have today introduced the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission Amendment (Public Recommendations) Bill into State Parliament, seeking to enact one of the main reforms identified by former IBAC Commissioner, the Hon Robert Redlich AM KC.
The Bill would give IBAC thepower to publicly release recommendations made outside of reports, which are currently required to be made in private, providedthe recommendations are of an institutional nature and do not contain a comment or an opinion which is adverse to any person.
It would also require IBAC to outline a statement of reasons explaining why it considers publication to be in the public interest.
As prescribed by its Act, IBAC is to report on and make recommendations as a result of the performance of its duties and functions. In addition to its high-profile public hearings, IBAC also examines and makes recommendations in relation to systems and practices in the public sector and public sector legislation.
However, IBAC is currently constrained in its educative role by section 159(2) of its Act which states: “A recommendation… which is not contained in a report must be made in private”.
Shadow Special Minister of State, David Davis, said: “The Bill would permit IBAC to make public more of the results of its important work and would address one significant deficiency of the current IBAC Act identified former IBAC Commissioner the Hon Robert Redlich AM KC.
Former Commissioner Redlich has repeatedly over a number of years called for this simple yet important change to the IBAC Act and yet Daniel Andrews has done nothing.
“The Opposition’s IBAC Amendment (Public Recommendations) Bill will do what Daniel Andrews hasn’t, which is improve the IBAC Act and the operation of IBAC.
“After being in Government for 20 of the past 24 years, the Labor Party has become arrogant and mired in corruption. It’s time a light was shone on the Andrews Government’s murky underbelly.”
