Integrity awards-parliamentarians step forward

You would like to think they will be inundated with nominations and find it hard to separate winners from a long list of worthy recipients.

The Accountability Roundtable is looking for members of Parliament "worthy of recognition for their commitment to honest, transparent and accountable government and the parliamentary system."

The awards honour two former Senators, John Button and Alan Missen. The Button Award is for Ministers and Shadow Ministers and their Parliamentary Secretaries and the Missen awards for all other members of the Commonwealth Parliament.  They were first awarded in 2010, respectively to the Defence Minister Senator John Faulkner and now retired backbencher Petro Georgiou.

Some musing over the possibilities in 2010. The Roundtable received 17 nominations that year. 

Your thoughts this time?

Nominations close 6 June and should be sent to Accountability Roundtable Chairman Tim Smith QC: jsmithth@iimetro.com.au or j_mesiti@optusnet.com.au 

The criteria for both awards are the same:

The award winner’s behaviour should be exemplary and reflect the best traditions of political service to the community.
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