The federal Parliament has been asked to look to Beechworth for a lesson in accountability over corruption.
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Almost three months after the "Beechworth principles" were launched by Indi MP Helen Haines, more than 1800 people have signed a petition calling on the government to release legislation for a federal integrity commission.
She presented the papers to Parliament on Wednesday.
"If you believe our democracy is straining, I'm with you. If you're exhausted by politics prone to corruption, partiality and scandal, I hear you," she said.
"What you've done is send this government a clear message about trust, transparency and accountability."
The Beechworth principles call for a federal integrity commission that covers everyone in the public service, including politicians; has powers to refer conduct for prosecution; conducts fair hearings; and is accountable to the people.
They are inspired by events of 1853, when after an innocent gold digger was shot by police in Beechworth, police and government suppressed evidence during a closed inquiry into themselves.
This started what has been described as a "democratic revolution", where gold diggers started a petition with the original Beechworth principles, demanding the right to vote so colonial leaders would be accountable.
Dr Haines said the government had a chance to be on the right side of history by establishing a federal integrity commission.
"As the sports rorts saga rolls on, it keeps showing us why we need one."
The Indi MP also raised the issue of trust in Parliament on Tuesday when she spoke about the COVIDSafe app, which she has downloaded.
"With this app, the government is asking Australians to trust it. With this app, our ability to reopen our economy depends on the extent that Australians trust their government to get it right," Dr Haines said.
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"For years, some politicians have given us reason to distrust them.
"Let's remember that the biggest story before COVID-19 washed it from the headlines was sports rorts."
Wodonga-based Senator Bridget McKenzie told Parliament that the government was doing everything it could to help rural and regional communities get back to normal.
"Just last week, I had the opportunity to head up to the North East of Victoria to thank volunteers in Corryong, in the Upper Murray, who had been struggling with bushfires through January and then with COVID-19 shutting down any hope of a quick recovery post bushfires," she said.
"Corryong is the home of the Man From Snowy River Bush Festival, and for them to have to cancel that event has been a significant dampener on that community.
"But they were absolutely stoked that the federal government had not forgotten them.
"I'm confident that once this pandemic passes, the Corryong community again will stage great events and shows."
