Media release
A motion for the establishment of a national anti-corruption agency will today be put to the Parliament by Senator for Western Australia Zhenya ‘Dio’ Wang.
Senator Wang’s motion to initiate a Senate inquiry relating to the establishment of a National Integrity Commission has been co-sponsored by independent Senator for Victoria John Madigan.
Senator Wang said the Opposition had also indicated its support for his move to commence the Select Committee relating to the establishment of a National Integrity Commission, to inquire and report by September 22 on the need for an independent federal body with the power to scrutinise everyone from blue and white-collar workers and employers right up to politicians and party donors, and through to organisations from banks to bureaucracies to political parties.
“We hope the Government will provide bipartisan support for this move in accordance with the wishes of the great many Australians who have long called for a national anti-corruption watchdog,” said Senator Wang.
“If the Senate agrees to my motion, it will be the first time that politicians have agreed to act on the recommendations of parliamentary committees in 2011 and 2012 for the Government to investigate the feasibility of a National Integrity Commission to fill the gaps in existing systems, and tackle all facets of institutional, organisational, political and individual corruption.”
In the meantime, Senator Wang is continuing to work in good faith with the Government to strengthen the ABCC legislation by ensuring it applies equally to all parties involved in corrupt behaviour in the building industry.
“The ABCC is only one piece of the puzzle in fighting corruption – what the Australian people want is the whole picture on fighting corruption,” he said.
Ends
Extracted Text from Motion
Notices and Postponements
TO: Government Whip
Opposition Whip
The Nationals Whip
Australian Greens Whip
Palmer United Party Whip
Senator Day
Senator Lambie
Senator Lazarus
Senator Leyonhjelm
Senator Madigan
Senator Muir
Senator Xenophon
Manager of Government Business
Manager of Opposition Business
Leader of the Government in the Senate
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Leader of the Australian Greens
Senate Parliamentary Liaison Officer
Clerk I Deputy Clerk of the Senate
Clerk Assistant (Procedure)
Hansard
The following notices and postponements were lodged in the Senate today, Tuesday, 23 February 2016. The text of the notices may be subject to editing.
Chris Reid
Clerk Assistant (Table)
Ext . 3020
SENATOR ZHENYA WANG
23 February 2016
NOTICE OF MOTION
I give notice that on the next day of sitting I shall move that the Senate:
1. That a select committee, to be known as the Select Committee relating to the establishment of a National Integrity Commission, be established to inquire into and report on or before 22 September 2016, on the following matters:
a) The adequacy of the Australian Government’s legislative, institutional and policy framework in addressing all facets of institutional, organisational, political and electoral, and individual corruption and misconduct, with reference to:
i. The effectiveness of the current federal and state/territory agencies and commissions in preventing, investigating and prosecuting corruption and misconduct;
ii. The interrelation between federal and state/territory agencies and commissions; and
iii. The nature and extent of coercive powers possessed by the various agencies and commissions and whether those coercive powers are consistent with fundamental democratic principles.
b) Whether a national integrity commission should be established to address institutional, organisational, political and electoral, and individual corruption and misconduct, with reference to:
i. The scope of coverage by any national integrity commission;
ii. The legislative and regulatory powers required by any national integrity commission to enable effective operation;
iii. The advantages and disadvantages associated with domestic and international models of integrity and anti-corruption commissions/agencies;
iv. Whether any national integrity commission should have broader educational powers;
v. The necessity of any privacy and/or secrecy provisions;
vi. Any budgetary and resourcing considerations;
vii. Any reporting accountability considerations;
viii. Any other related matter.
2. That the committee consist of6 senators, 2 nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, 2 nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Senator Wang and Senator Madigan.
3. That:
i. participating members may be appointed to the committee on the nomination of the Leader of the Government in the Senate, the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate or any minority groups or independent senators;
ii. participating members may participate in hearings of evidence and deliberations of the committee, and have all the rights of members of the committee, but may not vote on any questions before the committee; and
iii. a participating member shall be taken to be a member of the committee for the purpose of forming a quorum of the committee if a majority of members of the committee is not present.
4. That every nomination of a member of the committee be notified in writing to the President of the Senate.
5. That the committee may proceed to the dispatch of business notwithstanding that not all members have been duly nominated and appointed and
notwithstanding any vacancy.
6. That Senator Wang is appointed chair.
7. That the committee elect a member as its deputy chair, who shall act as chair when the chair is absent from a meeting of the committee or the position of chair is temporarily vacant.
8. That the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, may appoint another member of the committee to act as chair during the temporary absence of both the chair and deputy chair at a meeting of the committee.
9. That, in the event of an equally divided vote, the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, has the casting vote.
10. That 3 members of the committee constitute a quorum of the committee.
11. That the committee have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of 2 or more of its members, and to refer to any such subcommittee any of the matters which the committee is empowered to examine.
12. That 2 members of a subcommittee constitute a quorum of that subcommittee.
13. That members of the committee who are not members of a subcommittee may participate in the proceedings of that subcommittee but shall not vote, move any motion or be counted for the purpose of a quorum.
14. That the committee and any subcommittee have power to send for and examine persons and documents, to move from place to place, to sit in public or in private, notwithstanding any prorogation of the Parliament or dissolution of the House of Representatives, and have leave to report from time to time its proceedings, the evidence taken and such interim recommendations as it may deem fit.
15. That the committee be provided with necessary staff, facilities and resources and be empowered to appoint persons with specialist knowledge for the purposes of the committee with the approval of the President.
16. That the committee be empowered to print from day to day such papers and evidence as may be ordered by it, and a daily Hansard be published of such proceedings as take place in public.