G20 countries to lead on international best practices for public sector transparency and integrity

From the 2015-16 G20 Anti Corruption Plan (pdf), an "agreed document" that supports the Communique issued at conclusion of the Leaders' Summit in Brisbane yesterday, this from the section Public sector transparency and integrity:

"G20 countries commit to leading by example in ensuring our government agencies, policies, and officials implement international best practices for public sector transparency and integrity.  The (Anti Corruption Working Group) has identified public procurement, open data, whistleblower protections, immunities for public officials, fiscal and budget transparency, and standards for public officials as issues which merit particular attention."

We look forward to engaging with the Government on this challenge. For starters, abolishing the Office of Australian Information Commissioner and its important function as independent monitor, advocate and 'champion' of open government, as proposed in government legislation currently before the Senate, is not international best practice.

Timely also that Tim Smith QC from the Accountability Roundtable is in The Zone
at Fairfax Media today explaining

those in public office hold positions of public trust and should therefore place the public interest above all other considerations. From this flow such tenets of democracy and public policy as accountability and transparency. And under our legal system, the principle has expanded beyond the realm of ethics to guide and become enshrined in judge-made law, the common law.

 Tim is answering questions here .