"Few topics are more important to our democracy than transparency and integrity rather than secrecy, rorts and dishonesty, which have grown over the last decade."
by John Sherwood
Public trust in government by both the major parties has sunk to such a low level, that more independents have been elected on platforms of cleaning up the processes of government and workings of parliament. In increasing numbers, they are building on the isolated efforts of earlier community independents like Phil Cleary, Peter Andren and Andrew Wilkie, followed by community independents like Kathy McGowan and the more recent Teals.
The abuses of due process by Coalition governments from 2013-2022 are well documented. Alan Austin and Independent Australia calculate that waste and rorts in this period amount to at least $400 billion, with huge resulting distresses to communities around Australia. “Sports Rorts”,one of the early ones, followed by the shameful “Robodebts” scheme, the inland rivers dishonesties, and Covid 19 Corporate handouts are only four of more than 200 cases.
Despite the Albanese government’s election promise of greater transparency, its actions have not matched this. Isabelle Reinecke has analysed Labor’s record to date in many cases, in a cleverly titled article “Seeing through the government” in The Monthly, May 2024. She shows how former senator Rex Patrick has spent years trying to enable community access to documents in the Sports Rorts scandal, under the Coalition and then Labor governments, both of which are trying to prevent openness, contrary to the principles of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act. The federal Court upheld Patrick’s arguments, and Labor is appealing that decision.
In the disability area, Reineke shows that Labor has used closed meetings and Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) to restrict the consultation process normally used in preparation of legislation, despite the government’s promise of a co-design process.
Other examples provided are the favouritism given to the automotive industry before watering down its promise for 60% average pollution reduction in new cars by 2029; use of NDAs and secretive processes over the Religious Discrimination Bill; actions to transfer of offshore gas approvals from the Minister for the Environment to the Minister for Resources; and the use of NDAs in sexual harassment cases.
Thus both major parties are guilty of avoiding either scrutiny of proposed legislation, or reports into claimed corruption, restricting public access to information through NDAs and refusals of FOIs, and denying some sectors of the population a fair opportunity for participation in public consultation processes.
All three major parties blocked and delayed the establishment of the National Crime and Corruption Commission (NCCC), which was championed by community independent MP Dr Helen Haines, with most support coming from independents. Australians owe independent MPs more than any others for the passing into law and the operation now of the NCCC.
Voices for Forrest is planning to have a community independent elected next year, to join an increasing number of others in federal parliament, to significantly increase transparency and integrity in lawmaking.
<photo: Helen Haines, www.helenhaines.org>