Ministerial Statement

Public Integrity

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

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Since becoming Premier, I have made strengthening the structures that support public integrity one of the government's highest priorities. Later today, the government will introduce three bills: to regulate the business and dealings of lobbyists; to fundamentally rewrite the Development Act; and to improve the transparency of the Parliamentary Remuneration Act. The government will also progress debate on the Statement of Principles for Members of Parliament, authored by the late Hon. Dr Bob Such, with the intention of securing its passage.

This raft of legislation will build on our work to improve upon the already stringent regime of public integrity in South Australia. Our regime includes the appointment of the Independent Commissioner against Corruption, political donation reform and increased proactive disclosure of government information. Our new legislation for lobbyists will govern their interaction with the political process, ensuring greater transparency in their activities and safeguarding against the improper intrusion of sectional interests in government decision-making.

The new lobbyist act will include the following measures: ministers will be precluded from acting as a lobbyist for two years after leaving office; lobbyists will be prohibited from holding government board positions; and success fees will be prohibited.

With respect to planning, the government will today move to introduce a bill to fundamentally rewrite the Development Act. While much of the focus of this highly anticipated new legislation will be on promoting efficient, orderly and sustainable development, the integrity measures contained in the bill are of crucial importance. Our new planning system will promote development while protecting the livability we value. Its capacity to resist the undue influence of vested interests will be strengthened.

The bill will contain the following: removal of elected officials from development assessment panels, preventing the potential taint of politics from the approval process; the ability for independent scrutiny by the newly established independent state planning commission before developers may fund council-initiated development plan amendments; and the establishment of environment and food production areas which can only be altered with parliamentary approval. The Deputy Premier will outline in greater detail the further elements of the planning reform.

I will also introduce legislation to increase the transparency of parliamentary remuneration. The Parliamentary Remuneration Act will be amended to permit the Remuneration Tribunal to abolish a series of allowances, benefits and payments, including travel allowances, committee payments, gold pass entitlements, and ministers' and premiers' expense allowances. It will also invite the tribunal to assess allowances for possible inclusion in the parliamentary base salary. The legislation will also remedy an anomaly through the introduction of an additional salary for shadow ministers.

I also indicate my intention to address the question of ministerial expenses, building on the proactive online disclosures introduced earlier this year. The new format provides for the timely publication of expenditure details with greater consistency in the presentation of data. All ministers are required to be prudent in their use of taxpayers' dollars, and these new arrangements will ensure greater scrutiny of ministerial expenses.

Finally, I can advise the house of the government's intention to conclude the debate concerning the Statement of Principles for Members of Parliament. An incidental amendment to the ICAC arrangements will be made to clarify that the remedy of any breach of the principles is a matter for the parliament.

The integrity measures I have announced today are directed at ensuring that our political processes remain corruption-free. In a rapidly internationalising South Australian economy, it is vital that we preserve and enhance one of our great competitive strengths—that is, maintaining a system of government that is open and honest.