[ad_1]
The Australian government on Tuesday unveiled a plan for federal regulators to sniff out corruption and hunt down dodgy public officials, with officials promising it would “restore trust and integrity in politics”.
Australia’s Attorney General Mark Dreyfus said the “robust, transparent and independent” National Anti-Corruption Commission would investigate “serious or systemic” allegations of corruption by the federal government.
Targets will include lawmakers, contractors and civil servants, he said.
“The administration is delivering on its promise to fight corruption and restore trust and integrity in federal politics,” Dreyfus told reporters.
read more: Kremlin says vandalism cannot be ruled out as cause of Nord Stream damage
The long-awaited legislation, which will be introduced to Parliament this week, reflects several state-level committees that have repeatedly exposed political fraud, uncovered police corruption and even ousted leaders in recent decades.
Claims of a toxic culture in Canberra and the widely accepted practice of concentrating public investment in competitive constituencies – known as pork barrels – marked the previous government’s scandal-ridden tenure.
Politicians from both parties have been shocked by news that former prime minister Scott Morrison has secretly handed himself power in multiple ministries before losing the May 2022 election.
Dreyfus said the anti-corruption commission would be independent of the government and would investigate reports from the public and department heads.
Australians’ trust in politicians is at its lowest point in decades. A Roy Morgan poll last year showed that people ranked politicians’ honesty and ethics above advertisers, real estate agents and car dealers.
[ad_2]
Source link