Labor refused to have their dirty laundry aired by shutting down an urgent motion to address gaps in the ICAC Act exposed by the ICAC Inspector’s annual report.
Deputy Leader of the Opposition Gerard Maley introduced a motion to establish a bipartisan Parliamentary Select Committee to address concerns raised by the ICAC Inspector in the body’s annual report.
“Under the current legislation, a witness called by the ICAC cannot invoke their right against self-incrimination but ICAC employees can invoke that protection.
“This makes it impossible to get to the bottom of the secret recordings scandal and hampers other investigations by the Inspector.”
As the Inspector concluded in his report: “I have no power under the ICAC act to compel such persons to respond to any enquiries I might make which, in any event, they could decline to answer on the grounds of the privilege against self-incrimination even if I had such power”.
The Inspector’s Annual Report revealed seven secret recordings were made but details of only two of those recordings have been made public.
There are now questions to be answered about who the other five recordings involved and all the circumstances around the recordings being made.
Mr Maley said the terms of reference for the current ICAC committee did not allow changes to the ICAC legislation.
“What we need is a bipartisan committee to look into the matter with public hearings, which are also not provided for in ICAC’s standing committee terms of reference,” he said.
ENDS