Via ABC:
A motion to create a federal anti-corruption commission could test the Coalition’s control of Federal Parliament as it prepares for minority government.
Greens senator Larissa Waters believes there is now majority support for a national body, with the Liberal Party likely to lose the historically safe seat of Wentworth to independent Kerryn Phelps.
All six crossbench MPs have indicated they would support a national commission and Federal Labor has already pledged to establish one if elected at the next election.
To test the numbers, the Greens will introduce a Senate motion calling on the Coalition to “establish a national anti-corruption commission”.
Senator Waters expects that motion — which would require an immediate debate in the Lower House — would pass with the support of Labor.
“We know that with the fall of Wentworth a majority of crossbenchers and Labor and the Greens in both houses of Parliament want an ICAC [independent commission against corruption],” the Queensland senator said.
“[The crossbenchers] have all variously gone on the record in different ways in the last few weeks or prior to that indicating that they do support some sort of anti-corruption body federally”.
The motion will be seconded by Centre Alliance MP Rebekha Sharkie in the Lower House.
A spokeswoman for Ms Sharkie said “this is an issue where all members of the crossbench are very supportive”.
Speaking in Canberra on Wednesday, Ms Phelps said she believed a commission could be established “in the short term” and that she had already discussed a potential model with former judges.
“It actually surprised a lot of people that there was not an overarching federal body to undertake this, and so I would see that as something that is very achievable,” Ms Phelps said.
Independent MP Cathy McGowan has previously used Question Time to urge the Government establish a commission to investigate allegations of corruption and misconduct.
Earlier this year, Attorney-General Christian Porter wrote to Labor saying there was no persuasive evidence for a national integrity commission.
“The present framework is composed of multiple agencies at the federal level which have specialised roles and responsibilities for preventing, detecting and responding to allegations, and circumstances, of corruption and misconduct,” Mr Porter said at the time.
“It’s notable that of the 20 highest-ranking countries in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, only Singapore (ranking 6th) and Hong Kong (ranking equal 13th with Australia) have national independent anti-corruption commissions.”
Bravo.
