Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I don't think calling out corruption is ever a waste of the federal parliament's time. It is absolutely critical. We've all had conversations across the last year about the public's faith in our public institutions, and today's MPI is about just that.

I'm speaking from my electorate office today in Werribee. During the pandemic, my staff have been incredibly dedicated. They've worked tirelessly to assist locals in these tough times. They've worked tirelessly in my office to assist constituents every day that I have been the member for Lalor. They have worked and worked to support the community that I am honoured to represent.

I'm speaking on this MPI today because I'm concerned that, after what I saw on 60 Minutes on Sunday night, the people in the seats of Deakin and Menzies are not getting that same attention to detail. There are other things going on in their office as alleged on 60 Minutes. If Mr Sukkar has neglected his job as the member for Deakin, and as a minister, because he wants to be emperor of the opposition benches in Spring Street then the people of Deakin are missing out!

In today's MPI we heard from the member for Aston and the member for Page about an integrity commission. Well, folks, we've been waiting a long time now for this integrity commission. You can't miss the connection here: we've been waiting 1,369 days for draft legislation to come into this parliament to stop payday lending sharks, and we've now been waiting 18 months for an integrity commission. We were shown clearly why we needed one by 60 Minutes on Sunday night—so that these things can be investigated independently, so that these things can be cut out at the core. The allegations are that people who sit in the building where we all sit—in the House of Representatives, in the people's house, in the federal parliament—have had their minds on things other than serving the Australian public, the people they are elected to represent.

I know how my constituents feel about that. I know how my community feels about that. They don't want to see that in the federal parliament—and they don't want to see it anywhere. But do you know what they do want to see? They want to see a Prime Minister stand up. They want to see the Prime Minister assure them that he will put a stop to this kind of behaviour—and here is his chance to do exactly what the Australian public want to see. They want to see a Prime Minister who doesn't shirk his responsibilities. They want to see a Prime Minister sack anyone who is connected to this kind of scandal. So this Prime Minister needs to take that action.

To those opposite who think it's a day to talk about a national integrity commission: no, the ball is in your court. It is time for you to act on a national integrity commission. It is time for you to win back some of the faith for our public institutions. The Prime Minister should act immediately. He should sack anybody involved in this scandal. If those involved in this scandal had any honour, they would sack themselves and would resign. They would act like others have acted. They would act and not allow for a timely resignation somewhere down the track. They certainly shouldn't be hiding behind a pandemic as to why we don't have a national integrity commission. This government needs to step up and reassure the Australian public that it has their best interests at heart. In doing so, they would sacrifice themselves to do the right thing by the Australian public. Yes, it's time for a national integrity commission. But, more importantly, it is time for this Prime Minister to sack Minister Sukkar.

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