NT Parliament has passed legislation to establish an Independent Commission Against Corruption.
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The Attorney-General Natasha Fyles said Territorians deserve a government system they can trust and this ICAC will deliver that.
“Territorians lost trust in government after four years of total chaos under the CLP,” Ms Fyles said.
“We are rebuilding that trust – as promised – with a strong an independent ICAC, powerful enough to investigate corruption at any level.”
Minister Fyles thanked Territorians for their input in delivering the strongest possible ICAC.
“We took the unusual step of releasing an ICAC exposure Bill for public consultation before introducing legislation to Parliament - to ensure Territorians had their say we,” she said.
“We’ve listened to feedback and we’ve taken action to deliver the strongest possible ICAC to Parliament.
“The Legislation has also gone before the new Social Policy Scrutiny Committee and further changes have been made with parliament accepting 11 of the 14 recommendations.”
The Government rejected three recommendation around:
reducing the level of scrutiny for Politicians and their unsatisfactory conduct;
implementing an unworkable change to the appointment process that would delay the appointment of the Commissioner; and
changing the definition in clause 12(1)(a)(i) that would reduce ICAC’s power to look at illegalities.
Minister Fyles said work will now begin to establish the ICAC.
Expressions of Interest are being sought for a suitably qualified commissioner and it’s expected the office will be operational by mid 2018.
A second ICAC Bill to modernise and strengthen punishments for corruption is expected to pass Parliament in February.