Sweeping integrity and accountability reforms pass through Parliament

Premier and Minister for the Arts
The Honourable Anna Bligh
25/11/2009

Sweeping integrity and accountability reforms pass through Parliament

State Parliament has this afternoon passed sweeping reforms which establish Queensland''s system of integrity and accountability as the strongest and most stringent in the country.

Premier Anna Bligh said the reforms under the Integrity Bill 2009 included such landmark moves as the banning of success fees to lobbyists for achieving favourable outcomes from government, an expansion of Crime and Misconduct powers allowing it to investigate Government Owned Corporations and strengthening the role of the Integrity Commissioner.

Ms Bligh said Queensland''s modern system of accountability and integrity was now the strongest, most transparent and most stringent in the nation.

"I gave a commitment that these new laws would be in place by the end of the year and today our government makes good on that commitment," Ms Bligh said.

"We are determined and serious about providing Queenslanders with a robust integrity and accountability framework encompassing strong rules, a strong culture, strong scrutiny and strong enforcement.

"The message is now entrenched in law and is crystal clear - everybody in public office is expected and required to uphold the highest standards of integrity and accountability."

The passing of the Integrity Bill today is the first step in a raft of reforms with further significant and expansive reforms due for completion by mid-2010.

"When our government issued its green paper on integrity and accountability in August, I indicated that even though reform has been an on-going, continual process over the past two decades it was time for new stronger reforms that would put Queensland out in front of the rest of the nation.

"Now, that''s been achieved.

"Today we provide Queenslanders with the most open and accountable system of government possible."

This is the first stage of a raft of reforms which will:

- Ban the payment of success fees to lobbyists for achieving favourable outcomes from government

- Expand and enhance of the role of Queensland''s Integrity Commissioner including oversight of the Queensland Register of Lobbyists and making the Commissioner an officer of Parliament with the ability to provide advice to all MPs

- Overhaul political donations and campaign funding if the Commonwealth does not act by July 2010 - leading the nation by introducing a cap on political donations of $1000

- Amend the Crime and Misconduct Act to ensure all Government Owned Corporations can be investigated by the Crime and Misconduct Commission, ensuring the use of public resources by these bodies is subject to the strong scrutiny

- Enshrine the lobbyists code and its requirements in legislation

- Require that newly appointed public service officers and ministerial staff disclose whether they have worked as lobbyists in the past two years

- Reform the Whistleblowers Protection Act

- Establish an Ethical Standards Branch within the Public Service Commission to assist all Queensland Public Service employees - including Senior Executive staff and agency heads - by providing independent advice on public sector ethics issues