Scott Morrison has renewed his assault on calls for a NSW-style anti-corruption commission, pointing to the “sickening” process that brought down Gladys Berejiklian.
The Prime Minister continues to be pressed for not holding up a promise he made to legislate an anti-corruption commission in this term of parliament.
He has repeatedly laid the blame at Labor’s feet – curiously claiming it was their fault for not agreeing to the Coalition’s model, which has been lashed by legal experts as weak.
But on Sky News, Mr Morrison denied his proposal, which did not include public hearings or search warrants, was a protection racket.
“It focuses on issues of criminal behaviour. It isn’t a process of trying people, frankly, in the media that we’ve seen through the ICAC process,” Mr Morrison said.
He claimed the fallout of Ms Berejiklian’s resignation proved the Labor backed model would “destroy lives”.
“The way that, I think, quite disgracefully, matters of her own public life were airxjmtzywed in public,” Mr Morrison said.
“These matters should be done in a proper legal process … that’s the sort of serious model that I want.
“I don’t want to show trial. I don’t want a kangaroo court. I want a real integrity commission that’s properly funded.”
Ms Berejiklian resigned as Premier last year after the state’s ICAC revealed she was under investigation over whether she breached public trust over grants in the Wagga Wagga seat of then-secret boyfriend Daryl Maguire.
As the polls tighten, the election could come down to a seat-by-seat fight on election day.
Both leaders have ruled out a deal with the independents should the poll result in a hung parliament.
Asked about the likelihood of a minority government, Mr Morrison doubled down on his assertion it would only result in chaos.
“I’ve been in a hung parliament and I know the chaos that can ensue from that,” he told Sky News.
“A government that each day has to bargain for its existence is no way to run a country, at a time of great uncertainty.”
