Media release – Sue Hickey, independent candidate for Clark, 14 March 2024
Effective anti-corruption commission urgent need
Independent Clark candidate Sue Hickey says she will demand the establishment of an effective, independent anti-corruption body with sufficient powers and funding, if she is elected at the forthcoming election.
Ms Hickey says whichever party seeks to form government it must guarantee the immediate development of legislation to significantly upgrade the powers of the Integrity Commission, or establish a new body with full judicial and investigative powers.
She said Tasmania demands a commitment to transparency and integrity, and an end to the secrecy that has been the hallmark of past government administrations.
“Tasmania can no longer endure the secrecy, dishonesty, exploitation, and corrupt practices that have been a blight on our democracy for some time and particularly over the past 10 years. The Government has had scant regard for transparency, accountability and the truth and would rather hide information from the parliament and the people,” Ms Hickey said.
“Now we have rumours that up to three Government members are being investigated by the Integrity Commission, but nobody will say who they are or what they are being investigated for.
“This week, the Liberals’ community grants’ promises have raised eyebrows as another vote-buying exercise that should be thoroughly investigated. Labor is making similar promises, even if its process doesn’t appear to be quite as crooked.
“It all has a smell of corruption and should be investigated by an ICAC-style body.”
Ms Hickey said she sure there were countless examples that could and should be referred to an anti-corruption body with the powers, authority, and resources to investigate.
“We have an Integrity Commission, but it is perceived as being controlled by the Government, is secretive and is starved of funding and support.
“It’s worth noting that one of the Liberals’ first acts on winning Government back in 2014 was to cut the Integrity Commission’s budget by 20 percent and subsequently legislate changes that threatened the independence of Commissioners.
“Such is their commitment to transparency.
“The corruption and indeed criminal cover-ups at the Ashley Youth Detention Centre and the Launceston General Hospital are just two incidents that clearly demonstrate the need for an effective Tasmanian anti-corruption body.
“This situation cannot be allowed to continue and the mismanagement, Government secrecy and lack of accountability will only end when such abuses can be brought before an independent anti-corruption commission with real resources and powers, where the perpetrators receive exposure and just punishment.”
Ms Hickey said the cover-ups, secrecy and hiding from the truth had become the norm in parliament.
“Ministers treat parliamentary question time as a joke, or an opportunity to grandstand. Official Right to Information (RTI) requests are treated with disdain, with the important or critical details blacked out.
“Even the parliament doesn’t have any real power to intervene to deal with corrupt politicians as successive governments have failed to update the Parliamentary privileges’ provisions.
“These outdated provisions and the absence of an anti-corruption body with real teeth allow the Government of the day to flout the system day in and day out,” Ms Hickey said.
