Independent Corruption Bill

The ICAC and Other Independent Commissions Legislation Amendment (Independent Funding) Bill 2022 would ensure that anti-corruption agencies, importantly the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), are independently and properly funded.

Corruption has run rife in NSW, and we must ensure that ICAC can do their job without worrying losing their funding. This Bill would mean that ICAC will no longer be reliant on the whims of the Liberal and National Party, or the Government of the day, for its funding. It provides clear oversight on the adequacy of funding for ICAC, the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission, the NSW Electoral Commission and the NSW Ombudsman.

The Bill achieves this by allowing the annual funding of these bodies to be allocated separately from other agencies and from political interference. The Bill creates a parliamentary oversight committee for these agencies to make recommendations on funding priorities, not Cabinet. The Bill also determines that the above mentioned oversight bodies be directly allocated their annual funding through appropriation legislation - rather than funding being allocated to the relevant Minister - so that they are not subject to reductions in funding during the financial year.

Implementing these changes will allow our oversight bodies to do their job. It’s the first step in curtailing the scrouge of corruption that’s undermining our society and economy.