MARK DREYFUS
SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL
SHADOW MINISTER FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM
MEMBER FOR ISAACS
MORRISON CRUSHES INTEGRITY MOVE
The Morrison Government is now so terrified of being held to account it wont even allow a National Integrity Commission to be debated.
Today the Morrison Government gagged debate on a motion requiring the House to debate the National Integrity Commission legislation already passed by the Senate.
It has now been two-and-a-half years since the Morrison Government claims to have started work on its weak, ineffective and opaque Commonwealth Integrity Commission.
Its 18 months since the Prime Minister and Attorney-General promised to have draft legislation ready before the end of 2019.
Now, the Attorney-General Christian Porter won't allow the Parliament to even debate a National Integrity Commission.
The truth is that the Morrison Government is trying to delay this debate for as long as possible because it does not want a National Integrity Commission.
The Attorney-General claimed in January that a draft bill to establish a Commonwealth Integrity Commission was all but complete. And a few weeks ago he said that the bill was ready to go. And yet the Government still refuses to release it.
That is not good enough.
That is why Labor will be moving a motion in the Senate this afternoon ordering the Government to table its draft legislation by next Monday.
The ever-growing list of scandals surrounding the Morrison Government shows why Australia needs a powerful and independent National Integrity Commission and why Mr Morrison and his colleagues will do everything in their power to stop it.
Unlike the Morrison Government, Labor is committed to the establishment of a powerful, transparent and independent national integrity commission.
THURSDAY, 11 JUNE 2020
