<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>327206</docID> <postdate>2024-08-21 17:23:39</postdate> <headline>MPs behaving badly face fines under code of conduct</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-302369" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/IMG_7549-resized-e1709865458955.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p> <caption>A bill to set up a parliamentary standards commission will be introduced in federal parliament.</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <b>Andrew Brown </b>and<b> Tess Ikonomou</b> in Canberra</span></p> <p><strong>Federal politicians could be fined thousands of dollars for misconduct in office amid calls for better parliamentary behaviour.</strong></p> <p>An Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission will be set up under laws introduced to the House of Representatives on Wednesday, following a recommendation from a landmark report into workplace culture at Parliament House.</p> <p>The commission will be able to carry out investigations into workplace conduct and enforce a behavioural code.</p> <p>Sanctions could include fines of between two to five per cent of the base salary of an MP or senator, or suspensions from parliament.</p> <p>A five per cent fine for a backbencher on the lowest parliamentary salary would be worth more than $11,000.</p> <p>The code of conduct would apply to parliamentarians, their staff and other employees within federal parliament.</p> <p>Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said the independent watchdog would make reports to the parliament's powerful privileges committee, and rejected suggestions the process would act as a protection racket.</p> <p>"Often members are very senior members of respective political parties. They deal with difficult matters all the time and they haven't traditionally operated in a partisan way at all," she said.</p> <p>But Nationals senator Matt Canavan told Nine's Today program the name-and-shame powers would "encourage a whole lot of frivolous and vexatious complaints" to try and take down political opponents.</p> <p>House of Representatives Speaker Milton Dick also called on elected officials to uphold better standards in parliament, following complaints from some MPs about conduct during question time.</p> <p>"We must find ways to better engage in debate that maintains respectful behaviour," he said.</p> <p>While speaking alongside a group of independents calling for workplace culture to improve, Warringah MP Zali Steggall said better standards could only be modelled by the leadership.</p> <p>"All those MPs take their cue from their leaders," she said.</p> <p>"Their behaviour matters, their words matter. What they do sets the standard for their followers."</p> <p>Domestic and Family Violence Commissioner Micaela Cronin issued a plea for political, business, community and faith leaders to focus on inclusivity.</p> <p>"All leaders need to step up and be thinking about their language," she told the National Press Club.</p> <p>The commission was recommended as part of a 2021 report by the Australian Human Rights Commission into the workplace culture of Parliament House.</p> <p>Assistant Public Service Minister Patrick Gorman said the reforms would allow for parliament to serve as a model workplace.</p> <p>"These workplaces should uphold the standing of the parliament as a worthy reflection of the community," he said.</p> <p>The government said it hoped for the commission to be set up by the beginning of October.</p> <p>The draft behaviour codes were endorsed in principle in 2023 and will be formally adopted once the bill passes.</p> </body>