With no timeline, no concrete plans, and no extra funding for reform, why would anyone believe Jeremy Rockliff is serious about strengthening the Integrity Commission?
Last year Jeremy Rockliff and the JLN MPs signed a confidence and supply deal allowing the Premier to form government in return for a review of the Integrity Commission, to be completed by April this year. Jeremy Rockliff then repeatedly used the idea of that review to delay any reforms to the Commission, including those recommended by the Commission of Inquiry.
Ten months later and now the Premier claims there’s a legal obstacle which means his promised review can’t be done. Astoundingly, two of the MPs who secured this commitment don’t have any concerns with that. Well, while Miriam Beswick and Rebekah Pentland might not see the issue, the Greens do.
The problem here is that the Liberals are using every possible excuse to delay giving the Integrity Commission the powers and funding it needs.
If they were serious about reform, the government would have gotten on with the job already. If they were serious about their promised review of the Commission, they would have made it happen. The Greens don’t buy the excuse of legal problems, but any issue or doubt could have been easily resolved by the government at any time since April last year. The bill we presented to the Premier today shows just how easy that would have been.
Jeremy Rockliff is now saying he is committed to implementing all of the outstanding reforms that have been recommended for the Integrity Commission. That’s all well and good, but given his lack of action to date, who can trust him?
Unless the Premier comes out with a concrete plan for reform – including a timeline for action and extra funding – his words will mean nothing.
