Ministerial Statement

Independent Commissioner Against Corruption

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier) (14:07): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: On becoming Premier, one of my first acts was to move to establish an Independent Commissioner Against Corruption. It was my view that an ICAC was necessary so that confidence in our public institutions could be strengthened and so those who seek to wrongfully exploit their positions of power within the community are brought to justice. In establishing the ICAC, I would like to acknowledge the member for Heysen, who had long campaigned for the existence of ICAC and worked constructively with the government on this important reform.

On 14 October, the Attorney-General tabled the first annual report of the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption. The commissioner made a number of recommendations and, in the context of this report, the government has resolved to take the following steps. The Attorney-General will give notice today to introduce a bill to amend the ICAC Act in the terms requested by the commissioner. Included in the bill is an amendment to clarify the offence of publishing information and evidence.

It will be made clear that permission is not required from the commissioner before the fact of the making of a complaint to the Office for Public Integrity can be disclosed by one person to another in a private setting. This will allow, for example, a public sector employee to disclose to his or her employer that they had made a complaint to the Office for Public Integrity about a co-worker. The government supports this practical reform.

Also, noting the concerns raised by the commissioner about a code of conduct for members of parliament, I will today give notice to introduce a statement of principles by a resolution of the house. This will be the statement of principles developed by the joint committee on a code of conduct for members of parliament. This was an issue close to the heart of the former member for Fisher, the late Dr Bob Such, and I would like to formally acknowledge the work that he has done to progress this important issue.

In addition, following further recommendations made by the commissioner, the Attorney-General will introduce legislation to regulate the conduct of lobbyists. Whilst some details will require further consideration and discussion with the commissioner, I can confirm to the house that the government has already taken an in-principle decision that success fees will be banned.

The commissioner also makes comments about the use of private email accounts and anonymous social media accounts, as well as concerns about the role of the Police Ombudsman. In regard to these matters, the Attorney-General will meet with the commissioner to discuss them in more detail and report to cabinet on how best to address his concerns. This government thanks to the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption for his report—

The Hon. J.M. Rankine interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The education minister is called to order.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —and we will provide a further update to the house on the progress of these foreshadowed changes at a later date.

The SPEAKER: The Deputy Premier.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The deputy leader is called to order. All those who have been called to order should be reminded of the house's powers of arrest.