Member for Indi reiterates importance of federal integrity commission

Speaking to her supporters on Wednesday in front of the old Beechworth Courthouse, where the principles underpinning her Australian Federal Integrity Commission Bill were agreed two years ago, Dr Haines reiterated her determination to see the Bill pass.

"I commit to working with whoever is in government to get an integrity commission in this Federal Parliament that's fit for purpose," she said.

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Dr Haines used the recent federal budget announcement to illustrate the necessity of the integrity commission.

"We had the government looking into their taxpayer funded wallet to see what they could sprinkler around coalition seats," she said.

"And what did we see? $13 billion worth of projects and infrastructure in coalition seats, mostly in northern Australia, and not just projects of any sort, but projects which didn't have a business plan attached to them.

"This is the kind of thing that we as tax payers are sick to death of.

"And the reason we're sick to death is because every cent of public money that's spent in a way that's designed to promote re-election in marginal seats is not spent on shortening the wait times to see GPs, it's money that's not spent on building a new world class hospital on the Border, it's money that's not spent on aged care, it's money that's not spent on mental health, it's money that's not used to fix our telecommunications issues.

"This is money that belongs to the people of Australia and it's misused for re-election purposes and we're really tired of it."

Dr Haines' integrity bill was did not pass last year due to a technicality to do with COVID-19 and she said going forward one of the biggest challenges to the bill's succes was the coalition government.

"The coalition have been in power in the 46th parliament for three years, they promised that they would introduce one," she said.

"Scott Morrison has done everything he possibly can to shut down debate and make sure we don't have an integrity commission.

"So I leave it to the people of Australia to make their own judgement upon that.

"If he is re-elected, he can expect to have me knocking at his door again, if we have an opposition, if we have the Albanese government re-elected they'll be getting the same treatment, because irrespective of who is in government they're going to be hearing from the Member for Indi constantly until we get this in legislation."

The election is expected to be called soon.

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