Corruption can take many forms, and can distort how
public policy
Public policy is an institutionalized proposal or a decided set of elements like laws, regulations, guidelines, and actions to solve or address relevant and real-world problems, guided by a conception and often implemented by programs. Public p ...
is made or implemented. This article discusses the responsibilities of the various agencies involved in combating corruption in Australia. While Australia is a wealthy democracy, over the decade since 2012, Australia's ranking in the
Corruption Perceptions Index from
Transparency International
Transparency International e.V. (TI) is a German registered association founded in 1993 by former employees of the World Bank. Based in Berlin, its nonprofit and non-governmental purpose is to take action to combat global corruption with civil ...
has slipped from 7th place in 2012 to 18th in 2022 on a scale where a more honest public sector receives a lower rank (that is, the scale indicates that Australia has become more corrupt over the last decade). Additionally, there is a public perception that corruption in Australia is increasing. All states have broad-based anti-corruption agencies, and a
national anti-corruption commission has been legislated by the Commonwealth government, and is to be put in place by mid-2023.
Protections for whistleblowers are weak in Australia, although greater protections have been pledged by the incumbent
Albanese government.
National anti-corruption commission
History and early proposals
Australian Greens leader
Bob Brown
Robert James Brown (born 27 December 1944) is a former Australian politician, medical doctor and environmentalist. He was a senator and the parliamentary leader of the Australian Greens. Brown was elected to the Australian Senate on the Tasma ...
called on the
Rudd Government
Rudd Government may refer to the following Australian governments:
* Rudd government (2007–10)
Rudd Government may refer to the following Australian governments:
* Rudd government (2007–10)
* Rudd government (2013)
{{Dab ...
* Rudd gov ...
in 2009 to establish an integrity commission.
In January 2018,
Bill Shorten
William Richard Shorten (born 12 May 1967) is an Australian politician currently serving as Minister for Government Services and Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme since 2022. He previously served as leader of the opposition ...
, leader of the
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party (ALP), also simply known as Labor, is the major centre-left political party in Australia, one of two major parties in Australian politics, along with the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia. The party forms t ...
(ALP), promised to establish a federal integrity body if elected. Under public pressure, prime minister
Scott Morrison
Scott John Morrison (; born 13 May 1968) is an Australian politician. He served as the 30th prime minister of Australia and as Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia from 2018 to 2022, and is currently the member of parliament (MP) for th ...
promised to create a federal anti-corruption body if the
Liberal-National Coalition
The Liberal–National Coalition, commonly known simply as "the Coalition" or informally as the LNP, is an alliance of centre-right political parties that forms one of the two major groupings in Australian federal politics. The two partners in ...
won the 2019 election. However, the Morrison government did not introduce any legislation in Parliament to introduce such a body. A bill produced by Independent
Helen Haines
Helen Mary Haines (born 21 September 1961) is an Australian politician who has served as the independent MP for the Victorian seat of Indi since the 2019 federal election.
Early life and education
Haines grew up on a dairy farm in Colac in ...
to introduce a federal anti-corruption body was blocked in Parliament by the Coalition in November 2021. The creation of a federal anti-corruption body was not part of the Morrison government's agenda during the 2022 election campaign.
Establishment
During the 2022 election campaign, the ALP, now under the leadership of
Anthony Albanese, promised to establish the
national anti-corruption commission (NACC) if they were elected. In November 2022, the
Albanese government passed legislation to establish the NACC, which is expected to be operational by mid-2023.
Anti-corruption agencies by state/territory
Independent Commission Against Corruption (New South Wales)
Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) was established in 1989 to improve the integrity of the public service. ICAC is an independent body that is non-political, and that doesn't have a government minister in charge of its operations. ICAC holds a large amount of investigative powers including listening devices and telephone interception. ICAC holds both private and public hearings, and has the discretion to choose either option.
Crime & Corruption Commission (Queensland)
The
Crime and Corruption Commission
The Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) is an independent Queensland Government entity created to combat and reduce the incidence of major crime and to continuously improve the integrity of, and to reduce the incidence of misconduct in, the ...
(CCC) is an independent statutory body that investigates and aims to reduce the amount of corruption across the public sector. It also investigates other serious crime including money laundering, fraud and homicide. Its powers include the ability to call witnesses to hearings, and require individuals to produce evidence. The CCC can give recommendations to courts, but cannot charge individuals with corruptions or crimes. It was established on 1 January 2002.
Integrity Commission (Tasmania)
The
Integrity Commission is an independent statutory body which was established in 2010. It was created to ensure integrity in the public service and reduce corruption within Tasmania. Reports have found the Tasmanian Integrity Commission to have major flaws in its design due to none of its investigations using their full powers in an investigation.
Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (Victoria)
The
Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission
The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) is Victoria's anti-corruption agency with jurisdiction over the public sector. It does this by:
* investigating serious corruption and police misconduct
* informing the public sector, ...
(IBAC) is the key body that investigates corruption within Victoria. It was established in July 2012. The commission is designed to investigate corruption in the public service such as councils, parliament, the judiciary and other government bodies. The Victorian Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission has a large range of powers similar to the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption such as interception of telecommunication devices and asking people to produce evidence or to speak at hearings.
Independent Commissioner Against Corruption (Northern Territory)
The
was established in 2018.
Corruption and Crime Commission (Western Australia)
The
Corruption and Crime Commission
The Corruption and Crime Commission is an independent anti-corruption agency established on 1 January 2004 to improve the integrity of the Western Australian public sector and investigate allegations of misconduct against public officers.
It t ...
was established in Western Australia in 2004.
Independent Commission Against Corruption (South Australia)
The
Independent Commission Against Corruption (South Australia)
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is a role associated with the South Australian Office of Public Integrity. It was established by the Government of South Australia in 2013. The Commissioner is Ann Vanstone , a former justice of ...
was established in 2013.
Notable corruption cases
Eddie Obeid
Eddie Obeid
Edward Moses Obeid (born 25 October 1943) is a retired Australian politician, and convicted criminal, who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council between 1991 and 2011, representing the Labor Party. He was the Minister f ...
is a former Australian politician who was embroiled in a corruption investigation by the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption. In 2013, ICAC found that Eddie Obeid lobbied his friend Steve Dunn to secure favourable leasing conditions for cafes at Circular Quay, Sydney. The investigation also found that Eddie Obeid used his position as Government MP to alter mining tenements in the Bylong Valley. Eddie Obeid was jailed for 5 years in late 2016, and could apply for parole in 3 years.
Wood Royal Commission into the New South Wales Police Service
The Wood Royal Commission into the New South Wales Police Service uncovered large scale corruption within the NSW Police Service. The royal commission went between 1995 and 1997, and ultimately led to the conviction of dozens of police officers. The Wood Royal Commission concluded that “systemic and entrenched corruption” was prevalent in the NSW Police Force. The impact of the royal commission led to cultural changes in the police organisation and stronger oversight on the dealing of police officers.
Barry O'Farrell
In 2014,
Barry O'Farrell
Barry Robert O'Farrell (born 24 May 1959) is a former Australian politician who has been Australia's High Commissioner to India and non-resident Ambassador to Bhutan since May 2020. O'Farrell was the 43rd Premier of New South Wales and Minis ...
, the
premier of New South Wales
The premier of New South Wales is the head of government in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The Government of New South Wales follows the Westminster Parliamentary System, with a Parliament of New South Wales acting as the legislatu ...
, accepted a $3,000 bottle of
Penfolds Grange
Penfolds Grange (until the 1989 vintage labelled Penfolds Grange Hermitage) is an Australian wine, made predominantly from the Shiraz (Syrah) grape and usually a small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon. It is widely considered one of Australia's ...
wine from Nick Di Girolamo, a chief executive of Australian Water Holdings (AWH). O'Farrell failed to disclose the gift, which is required by law in the state of New South Wales to prevent corruption. He was questioned by
Independent Commission Against Corruption, but O'Farrell said he could not remember receiving it, despite evidence to the contrary. Due to unintentionally misleading an ICAC investigation, he was forced to resign as premier in April 2014.
Rankings and research
In 2012, there was little evidence of corruption in Australia. Corruption in Australia was relatively uncommon when compared to other nations worldwide. Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index scores countries according to the perceived corruption of the public sector and then ranks those countries by their scorethat is, a high score earns a low rank and signals a perception of an honest public sector. The 2012 Index gave Australia a score of 85/100, which ranked it in 7th place out of 176 countries, although a corruption law expert warned that the Index gave an incomplete picture because it ignored corrupt dealings between Australia and foreign countries.
Unfortunately, according to this same index, the perception of corruption in the Australian public sector has been increasing since 2012. In the 2015 Index Australia ranked 13th, dropping six positions since 2012.
Transparency International described Australia's score of 77 in the 2020 Index as a 'significant decliner', having fallen eight points since 2012, and called Australia's score of 73 in the 2021 Index 'one of the world’s most significant decliners, having dropped 12 points since 2012 to hit a record low this year. Its deteriorating score indicates systemic failings in tackling public sector corruption.'
The phenomenon has also been studied by the
Australian National University
The Australian National University (ANU) is a public research university located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. Its main campus in Acton encompasses seven teaching and research colleges, in addition to several national academies an ...
, which produced a report called ''Perceptions of Corruption and Ethical Conduct'' (2012), which concluded: 'there is a widespread perception that corruption in Australia has increased' and that 'the media,
trade unions
A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...
and political parties were seen as
Australia's most corrupt institutions'.
Research published in 2015 by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand found government and private firms in Australia and nearby New Zealand both display widespread 'complacent' attitudes about corruption, particularly in regards to companies bidding for government contracts.
In January 2018, a discussion paper published by the Australia Institute, suggested that the trust in the Australian government is at a historical low, which could have reduced the GDP by as much as 4% or $72.3 billion.
A report by Australian Public Service Commission's released in 2018, stated that investigations were conducted in only 0.3% of the workforce, meaning a total of 596 employees.
International comparison
Australia's score of 73 in the 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index remains well above the global average score of 43 and ranks the country at 18th of the 180 countries in that year's Index. Australia's nearest neighbour
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
scored 88 and was ranked 1st in the 2021 Index.
Some of Australia's smaller neighbours are making steps towards establishing Independent Commissions Against Corruption, with
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...
recently voting unanimously to set up an Independent Commission Against Corruption. Another small neighbour, the
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and north-west of Vanuatu. It has a land area of , and a population of approx. 700,000. Its capit ...
recently appointed its first Director General for its Independent Commission against Corruption.
Reactions
Australia has asserted a strong record of global, regional and domestic action to prevent and expose corrupt activity. These include the G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group, APEC Anti-Corruption and Transparency Working Group and the United Nations Convention against Corruption Working Groups.
Most Australians regard the acceptance of luxury gifts by Australian politicians to be a form of corruption through bribery.
See also
*
International Anti-Corruption Academy
The International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA) is an international intergovernmental organization based in Laxenburg, Austria that teaches government officials and professionals about anti-corruption measures. Membership to the organization is, ...
*
Group of States Against Corruption
*
International Anti-Corruption Day
International Anti-Corruption Day has been observed annually, on 9 December, since the passage of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption on 31 October 2003 to raise public awareness for anti-corruption.
Background
The Convention s ...
*
ISO 37001 Anti-bribery management systems
*
United Nations Convention against Corruption
*
OECD Anti-Bribery Convention
*
Transparency International
Transparency International e.V. (TI) is a German registered association founded in 1993 by former employees of the World Bank. Based in Berlin, its nonprofit and non-governmental purpose is to take action to combat global corruption with civil ...
References
{{Oceania topic, Corruption in
Australia