Page 1297 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 3 April 2019
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It is important that the person appointed to conduct this review is given adequate time to undertake the necessary consultations. This will include consulting with the newly appointed ACT Integrity Commissioner, a process that has been somewhat set back in recent days. Consultation with the newly appointed Integrity Commissioner and the taking of submissions from the public on the operation of the current PID regime are an important part of the review.
In that context, I intend to make sure that the independent reviewer is appointed and commences their review in the first half of this year. I advise members that the process for that appointment is now very well advanced. We will work with the appointed person to establish a time line for the delivery of their report and recommendations for improvement.
It is important that the reviewer be involved in determining the appropriate time line for this review. However, given the importance of the review and the Assembly’s interest in the matter, I will provide an update to the Assembly before the last sitting day of the year, in November. I state clearly that it is our intention to present amending legislation, based on the findings and recommendations of the review, for consideration of the Assembly by June 2020. If it can be done sooner, we will certainly do so. This time frame will allow for proper consideration of the issues and include consultations with the relevant Assembly committee on the draft legislation. It is important to put on the record that it is our intent that there will be time for the relevant Assembly committee to be consulted on the draft legislation.
It is important that the ACT’s integrity framework remains best practice, and this review is an important part of ensuring that. I certainly appreciate the opportunity the motion has given me this afternoon to update the Assembly on this important area of work for the government. We look forward to that work commencing very soon and being completed possibly ahead of the time frames we set, but I do note the importance of engagement both with the Integrity Commissioner, when appointed, and key stakeholders, and this Assembly’s right to look at the draft legislation through the relevant committee before we ultimately make a determination as members on a piece of legislation. I commend my amendment to the Assembly. I thank the opposition leader for his indication of support for the amendment in his opening remarks.
MS LE COUTEUR (Murrumbidgee) (3.10): It will not come as a surprise to anybody that, given the Greens’ commitment to transparency and integrity in government, the Greens are strong supporters of whistleblower protection legislation. The Greens have been long-term advocates for public interest disclosure reforms. In fact, the 2012 legislation was as a result of the first Labor-Greens parliamentary agreement from 2008.
We believe it is extremely important for public servants and others with relevant information to be able to report issues of potential corruption or similar public accountability issues. At the moment public interest disclosures, or PIDs, can go to the Ombudsman, the Auditor-General or the Public Service Standards Commissioner for examination. It is important that the public is able to depend on this process being
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