MEDIA RELEASE: SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON VICTORIA’S HIDDEN CHAIN OF INFLUENCE.
Number One Priority for the Incoming Government : Shining the spotlight on Victoria's chain of hidden influence 30 September 2026 The Accountability Round Table is calling on all political parties to prioritise the introduction...
IBAC REFORM UPDATE: A WIN FOR INTEGRITY AS REFORMS PASS PARLIAMENT
30 September 2026 Last week the Victorian Parliament passed the Government's IBAC reform Bill, with significant amendments. This is a major win for integrity in Victoria. ART recognises that the latest amendments to the IBAC...
ROYAL COMMISSION UPDATE: LASTING REFORM IS THE KOURIS ROYAL COMMISSION’S MOST IMPORTANT ASSIGNMENT.
Last week, the Royal Commission into the Integrity of Major Public and Civil Infrastructure Construction Projects in Victoria held its first public hearing before Commissioner the Hon. Christopher Kourakis AC.This is a moment...
Enhancing government accountability
28 July 2026 ART welcomes the opportunity to enhance government accountabilityWhere there is huge wastage of public funds on major projects, and particularly where organisations aligned to governmentbenefit from those public...
ART Policy - Campaign finance
ART policy - FOI
A powerful and independent freedom of information scheme must be a central feature of a functional democracy, an essential step toward enhancing transparency and accountability.
The existing basis of FOI legislation laid down in the 1980s is sound – yet over the last decade the culture has become one of secrecy and obstruction. Statutory time limits are commonly breached and redactions are the norm.
ART reforms
An Integrity System for Australia
The reforms in brief:
A National Integrity System that is proactive, preventive, coordinated and cooperative | A National Integrity Commission that is independent, has investigative powers, makes recommendations and findings of fact, can investigate the judiciary | Parliamentary Integrity Commissioner
Political donations regime & election funding
The reforms in brief:
Caps of ~$1,000 on donations | Real time disclosure | Limits on election campaign expenditure incl. third party entities | Sanctions for electoral breaches | An independent body for public funding | Laws that require truth in political advertising
Civil society engagement
The reforms in brief:
support civic participation in the OGP | value public participation in decisions and policy | recognise the benefits of public engagement, including that of women | make policy and decisions more transparent | allow NFPs freedom of expression, association and opinion | greater collaboration
see more here …
Data in politics & government
The reforms in brief:
Ban covert digital techniques of influence | remove electoral & privacy act exemptions | supervise government data collection | recognise that personal data cannot be de-identified | control profiling for political use | control government buying-in data | cover social media in advertising rules | ban government data on-selling | citizen opt-in rights
Policy on the big issues – global warming
The reforms in brief:
An evidence-based, whole of government approach to the environment | a transparent mechanism to drive down emissions | government role in decarbonizing solutions | cooling off period for public officers going into the private sector
Lobbyists
The reforms in brief:
In-house lobbyists incl. in Register | matters discussed disclosed | documents made public | funds, gifts & events declared | oversight of Code & Register by the National Integrity System | campaign donations & expenditure limits | more public engagement in decisions | Senate role in countering undue influence
Integrity Lecture, Awards
Submissions
National Integrity Commission, OAIC, OGP