Throsby MP Stephen Jones has called for a federal anti-corruption body, saying it could ‘‘help avoid the pitfalls’’ like those within existing NSW ICAC cases.
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The new body, which would require Labor winning federal government to become policy, would help achieve the ‘‘appropriate balance’’ between people’s rights and corrupt behaviour, Mr Jones said.
‘‘It’s in the interests of good government ... that we have strong integrity and transparency mechanisms in place,’’ he said.
‘‘I think the best protection against corruption is the possibility that corruption is going to be disclosed and punished.’’
‘‘Having a standing body with investigative powers, inquisitorial powers, is the best model to do that, we’ve seen that in other jurisdictions.’’
Asked if the push would be met with resistance given the fallout of previous NSW ICAC matters, Mr Jones said ‘‘bad cases always create bad law’’ in reference to the Margaret Cunneen case.
‘‘Clearly you had a case where the ICAC exceeded its jurisdiction [and] commenced an investigation it should never have commenced,’’ he said.
‘‘I think it actually helps in establishing a federal body to have some clear guidance from cases like that, so we can avoid the pitfalls, we can produce an act which would establish a federal body, which has the appropriate balance between protecting rights of people and ensuring the spotlight is on corrupt behaviour.’’
Mr Jones said the issue wasn’t factional, but there were legitimate concerns that needed to be dealt with.
‘‘People who say that we cannot have somebody trialled by the media, the mere fact an allegation is made against somebody or an investigation is commenced doesn’t mean someone is guilty but too often the conclusion doesn’t get the same amount of attention as the initiation of an inquiry,’’ he said.
‘‘We need to ensure we have the right sort of protections in place so people don’t have their reputations trashed by an investigative body of this sort.’’
The NSW Labor branch passed a motion calling for a federal body last year and the matter is expected to be discussed at the party’s national conference in July.
Mr Jones said the Coaltion had ‘‘shown no appetite’’ to establish a federal anti-corruption body.
