Matt Gregg (Deakin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It was somewhat surprising to hear an analysis of a culture of secrecy from the coalition, the very folks that brought us a secret minister for health; a secret minister for finance; a secret minister for industry, science, energy and resources; a secret minister for home affairs; and a secret treasurer. I recall a culture of secrecy also at a time when we were raising the very serious issue of robodebt, when it was just responded to with doubling down and attacks rather than genuine introspection. Introspection is something we certainly have not seen from those opposite.

We don't have to go very far back down the time tunnel to remember a party of government promising to deliver an anticorruption commission, getting into government in 2019 and failing to deliver.

The promise of an anticorruption commission was key to restoring integrity in government. They failed to deliver it, but I'll tell you who did deliver it: the Labor Party. When the Albanese Labor government was brought in, we introduced the National Anti-Corruption Commission. It is now here, it is in effect, and it is doing its job. We've also introduced changes to the Public Service Act to ensure that ministers are no longer giving directions relating to the employment of staff. And we've addressed another fundamental institutional problem created by those opposite with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal—a body there to ensure the integrity of government decision-making and the lawfulness of government decisions. It had become an opaque and overly politicised institution, so fatally damaged that it had to be replaced. The new Administrative Review Tribunal introduced by the Albanese Labor government finally has some transparent appointment requirements to make sure we are appointing members on merit—those who are qualified to do the job and can serve the Australian public by providing good decisions relating to the application of executive power. That is true accountability.

We have also begun the process of reforming whistleblower protection laws. Tranche 1 is already in effect. We're working on tranche 2, and we'll ensure that whistleblowers are protected, as we would expect in a democratic society. We're also rejuvenating the Open Government Partnership, introducing the third national plan promoting accountability and transparency in government and doing reforms to make sure the culture in this place around personal behaviour is also improved. We did the hard work on delivering the Respect@Work report. We have made the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service an independent statutory body to ensure that the culture in this place of poor behaviour being swept under the rug is gone. It was to ensure the standards that reasonable people in Australia expect of any workplace are adhered to in this place as well. The way we treat each other matters, and, when misbehaviour occurs, people should be held accountable. That is something that we are pursuing not just with rhetoric but with action.

The culture of a government can be seen in what it does. The culture of the Albanese Labor government is of delivering cheaper medicines; delivering free TAFE; delivering more housing; delivering changes to the five per cent deposit scheme to ensure that every first home buyer can get themselves into the market; and delivering on paid prac for people studying nursing, social work and other courses, like teaching. We have so many positive plans, and as a government we are not talking about sitting around eating each other up, like the coalition does every time the words 'Medicare' or 'environment' are mentioned. We are focusing on delivering the promises made to the Australian people.

A point has been made about changes to the freedom of information legislation. This will be going to committee. There will be every opportunity for all sides to contribute to the discussion about that bill, as is normal process. It will be a transparent, open, democratic process. Changes to the bill may well occur in response to that good-faith engagement. Rather, we have what has become a daily piece of performative, confected indignation and outrage without any sense of personal insight or introspection. We just see another day rallying against a topic which, really, the Liberal Party when in government performed a lot worse in. So, when we're getting a lecture from the Liberals and Nationals about secrecy, perhaps think back just a few years. Where were we before? We can think about the leadership of the secret Minister for Health, the secret Minister for Finance, the secret Minister for Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, the secret Minister for Home Affairs and the secret Treasurer when we think about the character of the previous government and what change in culture the Albanese Labor government has brought in. I can say that it is overwhelmingly positive.

Finally, we have a restoration of key institutions. Finally, we have a restoration of faith in the transparency and accountability of government in Australia. As my friend the member for Chisholm pointed out, we're back in the top 10 on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index. Things are improving and will continue to improve.

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