THE ACT government says its establishing an ACT Integrity Body but are yet to confirm when, saying draft legislation will be prepared this year.
The ACT Integrity Body, which was a 2016 Labor election commitment, will be broadly structured in the same way as those operating in jurisdictions of a similar size to the ACT and will have its functions delineated from existing independent oversight bodies.
Deputy Chief Minister Yvette Berry says the ACT Legislative Assembly Select Committee report and recommendations will inform the establishment of this new body.
“The government has agreed that the proposed body will have scope to investigate significant and serious allegations of fraud and corruption by ACT public servants, ACT Police officers (subject to Commonwealth Government Agreement), MLAs and their staff and statutory office holders including boards and committees,” Ms Berry says.
“However, the government does not support the inclusion of judicial officers within the oversight of the integrity body at this time due to the presence of the recently established Judicial Council and Judicial Commission.
“The ACT government already has a strong structure of public sector oversight, which will complement the new Integrity Body to ensure a highly transparent and professional territory administration.”
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