The Canberra Liberals have baulked at establishing an ACT anti-corruption commission, despite launching a sustained attack on the integrity of the Labor government in the lead-up to October's election.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It means that neither major party would establish a corruption watchdog, something that exists in every other state in Australia.
The opposition on Wednesday announced it would beef up the Auditor-General and establish an independent public service commissioner if elected.
The Liberals would give $3 million for the Auditor-General and $900,000 for the commissioner, constituting what the opposition describes as its "integrity package".
But the Liberals have confirmed they would not seek to establish an anti-corruption commission, similar to the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption, in the ACT.
Opposition leader Jeremy Hanson said on Wednesday morning he had looked at such a body, but had decided it made more sense to empower existing agencies.
"We believe this is the best course of action to rebuild faith in local government," Mr Hanson said.
"These are both existing effective bodies in enhancing integrity and complicating the system with a new structure would be unnecessary."
Labor similarly wouldn't establish an anti-corruption commission, and Chief Minister Andrew Barr said an independent public service commissioner announced by the Liberals is already being created, through changes to the Public Sector Management Act due to be debated in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday.
"The government is introducing legislation this week to establish an independent public service commissioner, which the Liberals would know if they'd read it, but nonetheless we welcome their endorsement of our policy," Mr Barr said.
He said the Auditor-General already conducted a significant number of audits compared to other jurisdictions.
Mr Barr told the ACT Legislative Assembly on Wednesday that there was a strong "accountable and integrity framework" in existence, including a standards commissioner, codes of conduct, a lobbyist register, contemporary public interest disclosure laws, an ethics and integrity advisor, strong probity measures, and the most open and transparent cabinet deliberation process "in the country".
"It's something that would not exist, but for the sustained work of members of this government," Mr Barr said.
"The government supports this level of openness, scrutiny, and accountability, and has put this framework in place."
In announcing the opposition's integrity package, Mr Hanson said he was responding to a "community-wide perception of a lack of integrity surrounding the Barr government".
Mr Hanson told ACT parliament on Wednesday that it was crucial the people of Canberra have "faith in their government", and that the territory did not go down the path of NSW.
"We have a situation where people, serious-minded, are very concerned about issues of integrity when it relates to this government."
Mr Hanson said the Auditor-General was overloaded and needed to be given the capacity to conduct a wider performance audit program.
Greens leader Shane Rattenbury on Sunday announced he would establish an "integrity commission", and many minor parties and independents want to see an ACT-style ICAC.
Mr Rattenbury said the commission would "be able to conduct investigations in allegations of misconduct as well as undertake prevention through education and support for agencies and offices to improve policies and procedures where necessary". He said that included investigating suspected criminal behaviour.
The CFMEU's ACT branch secretary Dean Hall said he would welcome the establishment of an anti-corruption commission, something he said would examine the "murky relationship" between property developers and the Liberal party.
