CORRUPTION WATCHDOG – ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION

South Australia needs a specialised commission to fight corruption after several high-profile cases involving the Rann Labor Government.

Currently, three states in Australia have Independent Corruption bodies: Queensland, Western Australia and NSW.
The establishment of a commission in South Australia is supported by many senior figures in our community including retired Auditor-General Ken MacPherson.

In his only public interview after 17 years in the role, Mr MacPherson told The Advertiser on 20 March 2007: “We don’t have the mechanism which would enable us to deal with the types of issues which have been identified in some other jurisdictions”.

SA Council of Civil Liberties chairman George Mancini has also called for the establishment of a “properly equipped, well resourced body that could demonstrate to the community that corruption was going to be investigated. (Advertiser 21 March 2007 p.6)

During the term of the Rann Government, a number of significant issues have occurred which would give rise to the need for an Independent Commission Against Corruption. These include:

• The Randall Ashbourne Affair, where the Premier’s Senior Adviser was charged with corruption in relation to an incident involving the Attorney-General.
• The establishment of a Royal Commission to investigate the McGee hit-run case.
• The ‘Stashed Cash Affair’ involving the Attorney-General and the Crown Solicitor’s Trust Account.
• Issues surrounding conflict of interest involving Agriculture Minister McEwen.
• Rann Government donations of $3 million to trade unions under the guise of workplace training.

Contrary to the claims of the Rann Labor Government, the Auditor-General, State Ombudsman or the Director of Public Prosecutions do not have the power or a mandate to investigate corruption at all levels of government.

A Liberal Government – led by Martin Hamilton-Smith – will be an open and accountable government. We will introduce legislation, which will establish an Independent Commission against Corruption.

The Commission’s main function will be to investigate allegations of corruption at all levels of government. This will include police, government agencies and planning authorities.

The Commission will not take over the traditional role of the police in relation to organised crime, witness protection or criminal assets confiscation but will take over some of the roles of the Police Complaints Authority, the Police Internal Investigations section and the Anti-Corruption Branch. This will overcome the widespread dissatisfaction with the current system where police investigate themselves.

The Commission will have the power to compel witnesses, to enforce production of documents, to search premises, to obtain information and to hold hearings. Evidence would be passed to the DPP for prosecution.

Establishment and administration of the Commission will cost approximately $15 million.

The Liberals' proposed model for an ICAC - March 2008 (PDF 73 Kb)

Comparative report into anti-corruption watchdogs and measures - August 2007 (PDF 505 Kb)

Corruption Watch - tell us about your dealings with Government