Michelle Ananda-Rajah (Higgins, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Attorney-General. How has the Albanese Labor government delivered on its key commitment to establish a National Anti-Corruption Commission after almost a decade of inaction?

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Higgins for her question. It's been a busy first year in government. Ahead of the last election, the Albanese Labor government pledged that if the Australian people gave us the honour of governing this nation we would repay their trust by returning integrity, honesty and accountability to government. Labor told Australians that if we were elected we would legislate a National Anti-Corruption Commission in 2022, and we did. We said we would establish the inaugural leadership team through a merit based selection process, and we did. We said we would have the commission operational by mid-2023, and we will. I'm very pleased to advise the House that the National Anti-Corruption Commission will commence operation on 1 July this year. We said we would deliver a watchdog with teeth and without delay, and that is just what we have done.

Those opposite also promised to deliver a National Anti-Corruption Commission. They promised at the last election. Indeed, they promised at the election before that. The Australian people waited for over three years, but those opposite never even introduced a bill to parliament for it. They were never serious about it.

This government is serious about tackling corruption. We are committed to cleaning up the mess left by those opposite. We have honoured our commitment to legislate a powerful, transparent and independent National Anti-Corruption Commission. This is yet another example of the Albanese Labor government delivering for the Australian people in our first 12 months in office.