There aren't too many respected voices on the issue of integrity up there with former anti-corruption Royal Commissioner and judge Tony Fitzgerald QC, so these comments about the state of the game in a speech reported by ABC News deserve attention:
"Decisions favouring special interests are common. Secrecy and misinformation, euphemistically called 'spin' are routinely employed," he said."Media management as it's called, insults and confuses the electorate, which is denied the comprehensive accurate information which is essential to the proper functioning of democracy. "Most, if not all conventions concerning standards of political conduct, which the Westminster system once incorporated, such as ministerial responsibility are obsolescent.".. "The prevailing political culture is increasingly amoral with each party lowering its standards, exploiting gaps in the law and disregarding ethical standards in order to compete."... "I suppose my concerns are really more with Commonwealth and State governments than with local authorities, although obviously the integrity of local authorities is of paramount concern to local residents."
The award winner will, in the relevant period, have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the public interest in the performance of his or her role with Honesty, Civility, Independence and/or Political Courage, in one or more of the following areas
• Supporting the principles and practice of transparent and accountable government
• Contributing effectively and constructively to parliamentary debate, committee deliberations and/or policy development in a way that promotes and/or supports good parliamentary practice and the institution of parliament.
• Pursuing a change in government policy or practice whether generally or in response to a constituency issue or injustice.
• Protecting peoples’ political and civil rights
It is impossible to understand how Mr Fitzgerald's words could ever be misconstrued.
ReplyDeleteHis are careful and profoundly accurate.
The only part of his statement that could be argued is his supposition that democracy here, so far, is only 'bent'.
I submit that it is utterly destroyed - carefully torn asunder.
A person could make the time to give some instances here about how agencies of government/governance have either been corporatised or dispersed - so that any responsibility or ability to act decently is completely neutered.
But that is the beauty of the modern E- world.
So easy to use that incredibly capable organisational network to deny the merits of any person's particular case and isolate that person from any future means of achieving any just outcome.
Therefore, it is exactly as Fitzgerald says except that he, being of the law, was not prepared to make the final condemnation.
Best regards - Bunsen
As for nominations for politicians with integrity - how about Greens Leader Bob Brown? He has stood up for many issues of social injustice, even when it made him tremendously unpopular- e.g. standing up for Mahmoud Habib and free speech during George W Bush's visit to the Australian Parliament, which got him kicked out (with fellow Greens Senator Kerry Nettle). Now that's political courage.
ReplyDeleteBrown would have to be a contender. And Xenophon on the cross benches.
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