Andrew Wilkie (Denison, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Indi for her question and also her tireless efforts to represent and to help the good people of the electorate of Indi, particularly when it comes to banking reform, and in fact I acknowledge the good efforts of all of my crossbench colleagues to bring about reform of the banking sector and, in particular, to see a proper inquiry into the banks through either a royal commission or a commission of inquiry.

In regard to the substance of the question and the direction from the Speaker, I am able to inform the House that the Banking Amendment (Establishing an Effective Code of Conduct) Bill 2017 is now before the House. I have in fact moved the second reading, and it is now up to the Selection Committee to decide on the resumption of the debate. I of course am not on the Selection Committee and cannot speak for it, but I would encourage the Selection Committee to allow the resumption of the second reading debate, because this is a matter that is of great interest to all of the community and, I would hope, to all of the members of this House. The fact is that the current banking code of conduct is ineffective. It is written, funded and implemented by the banks, and what we need—

See this speech in context