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On Tuesday 22nd June 2021, an open letter was sent to the Federal Government from almost 60 eminent Australians to remind them they had promised the Australian people we would have a Federal Anti-Corruption Commission that they would legislate within 12 months of taking office.
The Guardian Reports:
"Almost 60 Australian judges, lawyers and prominent experts have urged the Coalition to keep a key election promise by setting up a strong, effective national anti-corruption commission.
high-profile jurists such as Mary Gaudron, Margaret White, Paul Stein, Tony Fitzgerald and Margaret McMurdo, said the government had kept Australians waiting for 922 days after promising before the last election that a national anti-corruption body would be one of its “priority reforms” in the 46th parliament.
The government said it would legislate its integrity commission within 12 months of taking office.
Since then, the government has repeatedly missed deadlines to establish such a body. When an exposure draft for its proposed Commonwealth Integrity Commission was finally released, experts roundly criticised it as weak and ineffective"
Which is the PROBLEM!
Australians WANT a STRONG, effective national anti-corruption commission and the Government NOT so much.
As can be seen by the criticism of the Government's draft policy!
The Government has x2 Bills for a Integrity Commission in OUR Parliament - right at THIS moment! Larissa Water's National Integrity Commission Bill 2018 (No. 2) PASSED by the Senate in Sept 2019 and Helen Haines' Federal Integrity Commission Bill introduced to parliament in Oct 2020 (the subject of this petition)
Yet the Govt CHOSE to write its OWN Legislation - which has been described "weak" AND "ineffective"
There were 333 submissions regarding the Govt's Draft Fed CIC Policy - between 2 November 2020 and 12 February 2021 - so we will need to wait and see if the Government DOES modify its original Legislation!
https://www.ag.gov.au/submissions-received-commonwealth-integrity-commission-consultation-draft
But THIS Bill - Helen Haines' Bill - already SEEN by the SAME EXPERTS is ready to go NOW and is IN Parliament!
So WHAT does the Government NOT like about this Legislation - that they REFUSE to DISCUSS it OR support it?
Is it the Code of Conduct?
Is it the RETROSPECTIVITY?
The Whistle Blower PROTECTION?
The Government was SO concerned about Larissa Waters' National Integrity Commission Bill 2018 (No. 2), National Integrity Commission Bill 2019 - that they SENT it to to the Joint Parliamentary HUMAN RIGHTS Committee!
Of SIX other Bills that I have checked that have been to this Committee since 2019 - NONE - not even the Repeal of Medevac, the INVOLUNTARY, FORCING of "welfare recipients' (YES including Aged Pensioners!) living on Cape York onto the Cashless Welfare Card PERMANENTLY, or the FORCING of Single parents into a PRIVATELY RUN Parents Next program or LOSE their ability to pay rent and buy food - has MADE this Committee SO CONCERNED about Human Rights implications that:
"The committee draws these human rights concerns to the attention of the legislation proponent and the Parliament"
So when it comes to HUMAN RIGHTS - our POLITICIANS' CONCERN is NOT ABOUT poorer AUSTRALIANS and NOT about our cruel treatment of Refugees & our ongoing ILLEGAL DETENTION of people seeking safety, whose ONLY 'crime' was to COME by BOAT - OR their OWN BREACH of Australian Citizen 'Witness K's' HUMAN RIGHTS - it's THEIR OWN Human Rights that MIGHT be breached by THEM being MADE accountable to Australians by a Federal ICAC!
What do you think of THAT Australia?