Louise Miller-Frost (Boothby, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Tonight I rise to speak about the Albanese Labor government's commitment to introduce a national anti-corruption commission. Specifically, I want to talk about how delivering a federal integrity body motivated me to run for the seat of Boothby at this year's election. Like all Australians, I believe our government should act ethically. It should act in a way that builds trust—that fosters trust in the government and in our society. It should promote accountability. And that should extend—nay, particularly apply—to us, here in this place.

There is, of course, a practical reason why an anticorruption commission will improve the relationship between our citizens and government. Integrity is directly related to our ability to deliver for the Australian people. And that's what we said we would do. We said, at the last election, and when we campaigned, and when we were elected, we would deliver for the Australian people.

I'm somebody who comes to this place with a background of delivering services designed to improve the lives of the most vulnerable amongst us. So I know how far even relatively small amounts of government funding can go, to really improve the lives of Australians—to get people off the street and into homes; to get Australians the health care, the aged care and the education they need and deserve; to deliver the better future that all Australians deserve.

The money that the Australian people entrust to us must go to bettering their lives. So it simply makes my blood boil to see any of that money wasted, and I know that Australians—and the people of Boothby—feel exactly the same way. I know that because they told me. They told me over and over again. I heard it from people of all political persuasions—from retirees, from business owners, from workers, from carers, from those voting for the first time. I heard it from Labor volunteers. I heard it from academics. And I heard it from people who had spent years campaigning on the issue of integrity. When I asked the constituents of Boothby what they were looking for in an incoming government, 'an integrity commission' was one of the most universal answers.

They want to know that they can trust their government. They want public servants and politicians held to account for what they do—for what we do—because, ultimately, integrity isn't a partisan issue. It shouldn't be a partisan issue. It is the foundation upon which our democracy rests.

The Australian people are entirely correct to demand integrity from their elected representatives. Without it, faith in our democracy, in our parliamentary processes and in this place erodes. As we've seen from events around the world and closer to home, this can happen very quickly, with dramatic and disastrous results. Lack of trust in government spawns distress, divisiveness, disinformation and disunity. Conversely, the strength of our democracy is that it's for all of us—it's Australians for Australians; it's government by the people for the people. Australians want to know that we, their elected representatives, make decisions on their behalf and that those decisions are for their benefit. That is why I was motivated to leave a job that I loved, that made a difference to South Australians, to instead run for parliament.

I share the people of Boothby's passion for integrity. The Australians I speak to value our democracy, but their faith and their commitment in democracy requires trust in the integrity of the government that they've elected and the decisions being made in their name and with their money. That's why I'm so proud to stand here as a member of a Labor government that will be introducing legislation to establish a national anticorruption body. It was a key election promise for the Albanese Labor government, and it was a key election promise for me. And here we are, just over four months later, with legislation ready to be introduced into this place. I hope all people in this place will stand up for democracy, stand up for accountability and stand up for integrity by committing to stamping out corruption in our politics for good.

In May, Boothby voted for integrity. The Albanese Labor government will deliver it.