The Round Table is dedicated to improving standards of accountability, transparency, ethical behaviour and democratic practice in Commonwealth and State parliaments and governments across Australia.
It is concerned that, in recent years, honesty and integrity in government has been eroded while maladministration and misconduct in public office have noticeably increased.
The Round Table is animated by the idea that government is a trust, that the officers of government, whether elected or appointed, are trustees for the people and as such are accountable to them. The government exists to serve the people’s best interests and this, in turn, limits what is lawfully, administratively and ethically allowable to it.
Governments are entrusted in public office to act in the public interest. The primary means of ensuring they act pursuant to this trust is to ensure that politicians and public officials are held consistently and constantly accountable to the people.
The Accountability Round Table acts to strengthen the laws and practices of accountability in, for example, protecting electoral systems, the responsibility of parliaments in relation to the executive, public administration, combating corruption, and government’s responsibility and responsiveness to its citizens.
The fundamental aim is to ensure integrity in the practices and processes of government and in the conduct of parliamentary and public officials.