Lack of hospital action shows need for integrity commission: Haines

Labor has announced it will establish a commission this year if elected after the government backed down from a previous election promise to create such a body.

Dr Haines has consistently pushed for an integrity commission to be established.

She told The Border Mail money had been promised for projects with no business model while a proposal for a new Border hospital missed out.

"Many Australians have lost trust in government and that's very bad for our democracy," Dr Haines said.

IN OTHER NEWS

"But secondly, taxpayers' money is being rorted for political gain.

"When there's no mechanism for how to hold the government to account for how they spend public money, that's extremely bad.

"While the government and opposition promise money for projects that aren't clearly defined and have no business case, that's money that's not being spent on something that's vital, like a new hospital on the Border."

Dr Haines also pointed to the sports rorts scandal, car park rorts, and Leppington Triangle land purchase scandal, as issues that would be addressed by a commission.

"We need our governments to act in good faith," she said.

"Clearly we haven't seen that."

Dr Haines said she would continue to push for an integrity commission to be established despite the result of next month's election.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: