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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-02-29 Daily Xml
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INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION

The Hon. M.J. WRIGHT (Lee) (14:17): My question is to the Attorney-General. Can the Attorney-General update the house on progress to establish an Independent Commission Against Corruption in South Australia?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Planning, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (14:18): I thank the honourable member for his question. This is a good opportunity for me to update the parliament on where we are up to in relation to this. The government—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.R. RAU: The government announced last year that South Australia would have an Independent Commission Against Corruption and an Office of Public Integrity to act as a one-stop-shop for all public integrity complaints. I am pleased to announce that Mr James Hartnett has been appointed to the position of project director, with a brief to steer the establishment of the office of the ICAC and OPI.

Mr Hartnett is a highly capable individual with extensive experience in delivering technically complex and sensitive services to government. His previous roles include the Director of the South Australian Legal Services Commission, the Chief Executive Officer of the County Court of Victoria and the Victorian Public Transport Ombudsman. Most recently, he was General Manager of Plenary Conventions, overseeing the $1.4 billion Melbourne Convention Centre development project.

Mr Hartnett has significant experience in the justice system. He is admitted as a legal practitioner in South Australia and Victoria. He has taken up his role this week and will lead the establishment of the ICAC and OPI offices (both which were announced last year) with a budget of $32 million over five years.

The next step is for the ICAC bill to be introduced to the parliament. Only after the bill has been passed can we move to appoint the independent commissioner who will lead both the ICAC and the OPI. I am pleased to advise the house that drafting of the ICAC bill is nearing completion, and I am hoping to introduce it to parliament within the next month. The bill is the result of extensive consultation which dates back to 2010 when a discussion paper was publicly circulated.

Under the model supported by the government, the ICAC will be a powerful investigative body with complete independence from the government. The OPI—also overseen by the independent commissioner—will receive and forward complaints to the appropriate agencies, such as the police and the Ombudsman. The independent commissioner will decide which complaints should be investigated by the ICAC. The ICAC will be powerful, effective and truly independent, and this week marks an important new step towards its establishment.

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