DEAR News Of The Area,

ISN’T it interesting?

The Coalition government has for years had the power to vote into existence a National Integrity Commission which would be able to examine allegations of corrupt conduct by Federal MPs.

Remember in 2018 when Prime Minister Scott Morrison first called the idea a “fringe issue” before realising it was what Australians wanted and a month later promised to set one up?

Remember in 2019 when his Attorney General Christian Porter said the government would set up a National Integrity body within twelve months?

Remember when this didn’t happen Porter said that he was too busy with Covid-19?

In other words, he couldn’t walk and chew gum at the same time.

Remember the final draft the Government presented in 2021 which was lambasted by critics for being a toothless tiger, unable to even investigate MPs?

Now here we are in 2022 and the Government has just delivered a budget with no funding for an Integrity Commission.

It doesn’t take an Einstein to see that the National and Liberal parties are running a mile from setting up a Federal ICAC.

Do you know what else is interesting in this history?

There were two MPs who throughout this time put forward to the parliament viable models for a Federal Integrity Commission with teeth.

Both were Independent Federal MPs; Cathy McGowan in 2018 and Helen Haines in 2020.

Regards,
Judith FLEMING,
Sawtell.