This morning the Australia Institute released a discussion paper comparing Tasmania’s Integrity Commission with the NSW ICAC.
We were not given an opportunity to comment on the paper. It contains some factual errors, and ill-informed speculation about how we apply our jurisdiction and the matters we may or may not be investigating. It also contains opinions with which the Commission does not agree.
For example, the paper evaluates our performance on investigation of systemic issues without acknowledging the two substantial reports which we published in December 2017, on misconduct in Tasmanian public authorities, and the Fox Task-Force. The focus of both those investigations was plainly systemic.
The Commission was reviewed comprehensively in the 5 year review conducted by Hon William Cox AC RFD ED QC, which reported in May 2016. We hope an incoming government will speedily implement the recommendations which remain outstanding from that report.