Reports that Scott Morrison will abandon his weak anti-corruption body until after the election shows that he never intended to do it in the first place.

Morrison promised that he would introduce a federal integrity commission more than 1000 days ago, but has since pulled every trick in the book to avoid meeting his commitment, and has refused to bring on the Greens bill for a strong corruption watchdog in the House despite it passing the Senate two years ago.

Greens deputy leader and spokesperson on democracy Senator Larissa Waters said:

The Greens say that the government’s proposed integrity body would be incapable of investigating new revelations that Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar knew that his office was using public funds to boost the power of his Liberal Party faction, and have called on the PM to bring on the Greens' gold standard National Integrity Commission Bill for a vote.

Greens deputy leader and spokesperson on democracy Senator Larissa Waters said:

The Greens say today’s report that more than 98% of the Great Barrier Reef’s coral reefs have suffered bleaching is a damning indictment of the Morrison Government’s climate inaction and exposes the sickening cynicism of its campaign to keep the Reef off UNESCO’s “in danger” list earlier this year.

Greens deputy leader and Queensland Senator Larissa Waters said:

“Climate change and pollution have already killed off half of the Great Barrier Reef’s coral cover, endangering this precious natural asset and the 60,000 jobs that rely on it.

The Greens say the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Voter Integrity) Bill 2021, introduced to parliament today, is more cynical Morrison Government politicking that will make our elections less democratic.

Greens deputy leader and democracy spokesperson Senator Larissa Waters said:

“These laws are pure politics, designed to fix a fictional problem dreamed up in the fevered imaginations of the most extreme right wing fantasists.

The Greens say proposed voter identification laws are a solution in search of a problem that will only serve to disenfranchise voters who are already largely excluded from the political process.

The mooted laws, which have long been championed by the far right, could wrongly exclude eligible voters, including First Nations voters, young voters, homeless or itinerant voters, and voters escaping domestic violence.

Greens deputy leader and democracy spokesperson Senator Larissa Waters said:

The Greens says today’s second interim report from the Select Committee on Job Security shows that the Morrison Government’s ideological mission to outsource the public sector has seriously undermined the Australian Public Service’s ability to deliver services and provide effective policy advice.

Greens deputy leader and public sector spokesperson Senator Larissa Waters said:

“Under the Morrison Government we’ve seen the public service gutted and billions handed out to massive multinational consultancy firms and labour hire companies.

On Thursday the Senate will vote on a motion that could force the PM to bring the Greens’ National Integrity Commission Bill on for debate in the House.

The Greens have today lodged a concurrence motion in the Senate which, if passed, could ultimately force the House to vote on the Greens’ bill, which passed the Senate more than two years ago.

Forensic research by the ABC has shed new light on just how important a ban on political donations from the gambiling industry is. The ABC’s Hitting the Jackpot investigation revealed that over $81million has been given since 1999 to Liberals, Labor, Nationals and minor parties. 

With gambling industry profits completely at the mercy of government regulation, the Greens say it’s clear that the gambling industry is buying influence and favour, and the Liberal, Labor and National parties are happy to comply. 

The Green says revelations that community grants from the Building Better Regions Fund were disproportionately awarded to Coalition seats once again shows the urgent need for a federal corruption watchdog.

On Monday the Greens will lodge a concurrence motion in the Senate, which could ultimately force the House to vote on the Greens’ National Integrity Commission Bill, which passed the Senate more than two years ago.

The Greens’ model for a National Integrity Commission, which passed the Senate two years ago, has been given top marks by The Centre for Public Integrity, while the Morrison model was judged “the weakest in the country”.

Greens deputy leader and spokesperson on democracy Senator Larissa Waters said:
 
“This PM’s integrity body proposal has today been given an F for flaccid.