Karen Grogan (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to celebrate the passage of the National Anti-Corruption Commission legislation, which passed the Senate last night and which, in just the last hour, has been back through the House of Representatives and will now actually be delivered. This is legislation that delivers the single biggest integrity reform this parliament has seen in decades. It's a powerful, independent, transparent commission. It will investigate serious or systemic corruption in the federal public sector, and for those who are asking the question: no, politicians are not exempt; no, the Labor Party is not exempt. This is real. This is transparent. This is going to make a fundamental difference. It has the power to investigate ministers, parliamentarians, their staff, statutory officeholders, employees of all government entities, and contractors. It has the power to hold public meetings. It will have a mandate to stop corruption and educate Australians about corruption.

This was a promise made in the lead up to the election by Labor, and we are now delivering on that promise. Everywhere I go in South Australia people raise this issue with me. I've had people come up to me in the supermarket, in the petrol station, at street-corner meetings and in representations to my office. This is a really important issue for the people of South Australia and for people across the whole of Australia, but in my home state it is the most common issue that is presented to me that people are concerned about. So I'm delighted that it has passed and that we will now get on with the job of delivering exactly what we have promised.