This is a joint media release from the Queensland Integrity Commissioner, Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission and the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption, South Australia (ICAC SA).
Representatives from integrity agencies across Australia will put lobbying practices and their influence on the public sector under the microscope at an integrity summit to be held in Brisbane this week.
The meeting is being co-hosted by the Queensland Integrity Commissioner, the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) and the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption, South Australia (ICAC SA).
The summit will hear from integrity practitioners who are responsible for overseeing or administering legislation pertaining to lobbying government officials.
Dr Nikola Stepanov, the Queensland Integrity Commissioner said the theme for the summit will be ‘Lobbying and the public sector’.
“We have collectively chosen that topic as it is currently of particular relevance to all integrity agencies across Australia,” Dr Stepanov said.
CCC Chairperson Alan MacSporran QC said that the summit would also examine what a “best practice standard” might look like in terms of regulation and registration of lobbyists.
“We want to discuss whether current oversight regimes adequately reflect public concerns about the amount of influence lobbyists appear to have on our elected officials,” Mr MacSporran said.
South Australia’s Independent Commissioner Against Corruption, the Hon. Ann Vanstone QC, emphasised the importance of public trust in government.
“Part of our discussion will focus on what we as integrity agencies can do to ensure that the public can have confidence in the decisions being made on their behalf by elected officials and public servants.”
One of the presenters at the summit will be Profession AJ Brown, leader of the Centre for Governance and Public Policy’s public integrity and anti-corruption research program.
The summit also aligns with an upcoming review of the functions of the Queensland Integrity Commissioner, which is due to commence in this year.
ENDS
Media contacts:
Queensland Integrity Commission - [email protected]
Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission – [email protected]
ICAC SA - [email protected]
