Scott Morrison has broken a major promise made three years ago, with plans for a federal anti-corruption watchdog sent to the scrap heap.
Attorney-General Michaelia Cash on Monday confirmed the legislation was off the agenda until after the election, prioritising the passage of religious discrimination and amendments to privacy laws to help combat online abuse.
With only three sitting days for the Senate before the expected May election, Senator Cash said there was simply no time to get the government’s preferred model for a federal ICAC off the ground.
“We don’t have the numbers in the Senate, so we need to negotiate … I’ve pressed (through) harder legislation in a small period. Certainly, this is important for the government,” Senator Cash told the Australian Financial Review.
“In the first instance though, the online trolls and religious discrimination are two bills the Prime Minister is fundamentally committed to. The reality is, we are headed to an election and there is limited parliamentary time.”
The Prime Minister first promised a federal anti-corruption body back in December 2018. Under the proposal, a commonwealth integrity commission would be established, but it would hold no public hearings and only investigate potential criminal offences.
But support for the Bill has been tepid at best, with many within the government’s own ranks wanting it to beef up the body.
In the last sitting fortnight of the year, Tasmanian Liberal Bridget Archer crossed the floor to bring on debate for a stronger proposal from independent Helen Haines.
Simply put, without Labor’s support, the body would be dead in the water. Mr Morrison has previously indicated he would not bring it on for debate without opposition support.
“The Labor Party want a political witch-hunt with show trials. That is unacceptable,” Senator Cash said.
Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek said the decision to delay a federal ICAC wasxjmtzyw “garbage”.
“It’s been over 1000 days since Scott Morrison said he’d create a national anti-corruption commission, and since then he’s done everything to avoid one,” she said.
