Rann Government risks SA becoming corruption capital
South Australia will be the only state without an anti-corruption body now that Victoria has committed to establishing an Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).
The announcement by the Brumby Labor Government that Victoria will establish an ICAC makes a mockery of the Rann Labor Government’s continued resistance to a state-based anti-corruption body.
Shadow Attorney-General Stephen Wade said despite massive public support for an ICAC, the Rann Government was continuing its head-in-the-sand approach to dealing with corruption.
“The Victorian Labor Government has flatly rejected the Rann Government’s proposal for a national ICAC by establishing its own and now SA is the only state not committed to an anti-corruption body,” Mr Wade said.
The new Attorney-General John Rau used his first Ministerial Statement in Parliament to condemn calls for an ICAC as ‘noisy but unsupported by a substratum of fact or logic’. At the same time, the Victorian Government was running a six-month high-level review which conclusively proved the need for an ICAC. The report was enough to convince a sceptical Labor Government to act within two days but still the Rann Government says South Australia does not need one.
“South Australian Labor continues to take a hear no evil and see no evil approach leaving South Australia vulnerable to becoming the corruption capital of Australia.”
Calls for an ICAC have been supported by Parliament’s Upper House, the DPP, the former Auditor-General Ken MacPherson and the Law Society.
In the last month, the Liberals have introduced Bills in both Houses of Parliament, to establish an ICAC.
“The Rann Government stands condemned by it’s refusal to take corruption seriously”, Mr Wade said.