So all over Australia - in EVERY state - we HAVE various forms of ICAC or Integrity Commissions - no matter what their name or how they are legislated..
Yet it is obvious - despite this - that various forms of corruption STILL occur.

WHY is this the case? Because for an ICAC to INVESTIGATE there has to be a REPORT or some EVIDENCE that corruption has ALREADY occurred
This could possibly be that a Public Sector worker has notified the Commission that they suspect something is not quite right (because under most PS workers Codes of Ethics or Conduct this is what they are EXPECTED to do) or someone outside the Government suspects something has occurred.

Either way the corruption must be suspected as having already happened.

Yet within political parties there MAY be a Code of Ethics or Conduct but these are developed by the party themselves and are not legally binding. Just as a Prime Minister's Ministerial Code of Conduct is as strong or weak (or corruptible) as the leadership of the particular Prime Minister at the time.

As can be seen at the last election Political parties AND Politicians can lie to us up-front or 'lie by omission' (perfected by our current Government) and it seems the benefits well out-weigh the consequences of doing so because once they are ELECTED..

There is no binding legal Code of Ethics/Integrity for Politicians in our Constitution - in fact our Constitution is a very small document with few protections for Australians. Which is why Governments have busily out-sourced/sold off (privatised) many of our PUBLIC services and sold our Gold stores during the Howard years - trying to 'balance' budgets so they can be re-elected..

Personally I do WONDER if the 'spirit' of our Constitution WOULD have actually allowed this to occur if CHALLENGED by an action in the High Court (the only place that challenges to our constitutional rights can be heard).                                                                                             Although our Government is ALLOWED to make laws about Commonwealth Government services and the Public Sector- I very much doubt our Constitutional fore-fathers ever fore-saw there would be a time that Governments would EVER privatise our public services!

However legal expenses are so huge now that very few Australians like you or I - could ever AFFORD to take a challenge to the High Court so we have to rely on those much wealthier than us (the people who wrote our Constitution were NOT poor English subjects!) and so this is out of reach of the majority of us..

There is NO Code of Ethics/Integrity for Politicians unlike Public Sector Workers - because I doubt Australia's fore-fathers thought that such a thing would EVER be NEEDED for Politicians - as back then a man's 'word' WAS his honour.

However today our society is MUCH different and many of our politicians prefer to mix with Corporate leaders than everyday Australians - EXCEPT at election time - the ONLY time WE get to decide their fate..
I believe that ALL political parties, candidates and Politicians MUST be subjected to a Codes of Ethics/Integrity. Yes they sign a Pledge AFTER they are elected - but what are the consequences for not following it?

A Code of Ethics/Integrity could help a future National Integrity Commission to decide if a Politician/Candidate/Political party has BREACHED the Code BEFORE actual CORRUPTION occurs..
You can GUARANTEE very few Politicians or Political parties will like it or WANT it..

Which is WHY we need a show of strength to prove that WE want it and THEY represent US!

SO PLEASE share with EVERYONE you know!

On a lighter note - I have attached Juice's media's satire on a Federal ICAC - parts of it are quite accurate - sadly..