Originally Posted by
Lead Balloon
Agree entirely. I do laugh that in the mid-2000s a coalition government was on a path to abolish the Commonwealth AAT. Now it's a dumping ground for political mates and others owed favours.
I also laugh at those who think Labor will set up a Federal ICAC with any teeth when it's Labor's next turn in government. The current chest-beating from opposition is easy and risk-free.
Agree. The only likelihood of it happening is if there is a a proposal and it has amendments forced by the cross-bench and happens at the same time as a critical piece of legislation, enabling those holding the balance of power in the Senate to force it to have teeth.
I completely disagree with the LNP's weak as water proposal in this area but I do agree that there would need to be some sort of catch all that prevents the wasting of public money, if, for instance, a politician inadvertantly carried a paper clip out of the building BUT, it does need to address obvious corruption via a set of basic principles I think.
I don't know why, but it puts me in mind of the manifesto of the Monster Raving Loony Party in the UK....... "If we are elected, we will immediately establish a frivolous fraud squad, in order to take on fraud that is not serious enough for the serious fraud squad."
Another of theirs - "We will ban greyhound racing, in order to stop the country going to the dogs."