Page 3782 - Week 12 - Thursday, 24 October 2013
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remains committed. It was at our initiative that the Assembly adopted as a continuing resolution the Latimer House principles during our last term, in partnership with the ACT Greens.
In terms of what this means, it simply updates the existing members code of conduct. It refreshes it. It is an important way, I think, of putting on the record very clearly to the community the expectations that they would have around members’ conduct. We have been very well served by members in this place around their conduct, but it is an area where I do not think you can relax. The community expects higher standards from their politicians, and this certainly makes very clear to members the expectations on them, the principles that underpin them and the specifics in terms of guidance about how they undertake their duties as members.
Too often, politicians are given a bad name by the behaviour of a few, and it impacts on all of us. You can read the papers most days and see stories on the conduct of politicians, whether it be in the commonwealth or in the state parliaments, or even in the local government areas, where perhaps conduct of members has not been what it should have been. Other jurisdictions have ways and means of dealing with that. In the ACT we, as I said at the beginning, have been served very well by the members in this place since self-government, in that we have not had the scandals, the poor behaviour, that has existed in other jurisdictions. But there is no reason for complacency. With respect to the code as it has been drafted and the amendments that I have circulated, I now formally move the amendment circulated in my name:
Omit all words after “The Members of the Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory acknowledge that, in a parliamentary democracy they cannot command, but must constantly strive to earn and maintain, the respect and support of those who have elected them to their positions of honour and privilege as Members.”, substitute:
“In committing to this Code of Conduct, Members undertake, to the community and to one another, that the following principles shall guide their conduct as Members in all matters:
(1) Members should at all times act with integrity, honesty and diligence.
(2) Members should act only in the interests of, and with respect for, the people of the Australian Capital Territory and in conformity with all laws applicable in the Territory.
(3) Members should always act in the public interest, make decisions and choices on merit, and not seek to gain financial or other benefit for themselves, their family or friends.
(4) Members should be reasonably accessible to the people of the electorate they have been elected to serve, and should represent their interests conscientiously.
(5) Members should be transparent in, and accountable for, their decisions and actions, should avoid or appropriately resolve any actual or reasonably perceived conflicts of interest and should submit themselves to appropriate scrutiny.
(6) Members should make only proper use of those public resources to which they have access.
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