Since time in memorial, there's been an ever present assertion of police corruption bubbling away just under the surface of media recognition, until one day a full blown scandal ensues, and well the rest's history? Just how corrupt are Australia's Government Agencies?

Any government facility where it's employees possess a statutory power that's conferred or bestowed upon them, there's always a potential of corrupt conduct occurring. Beginning in local government, where a Developer might attempt to ingratiate themselves by obsequious means, with Council's Town Planners? From my information, that's always been fertile ground for corrupt behaviour.

And our police, who have some extraordinary powers conferred upon them, they're always 'fair game' and open to corrupt practices. From trivial and petty indiscretions, accepting 50% discount from Macca's, KFC, and others. But so too are our Ambo's and Firefighters, they also receive their 50% ? Up to and including serious criminal behaviour.

What about our Politicians at all three echelons? Are any of them actually corrupt? By corrupt I mean:- 'willing to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain'? What about using government owned or leased facilities, for private or family reasons? Travelling abroad ostensibly for government business, but engaging in private leisure, all at the taxpayers expense? Is this truly corrupt conduct, or is it covered under 'perks of the job, fringe or additional benefits' all part of the job. How positively tough their job must be!

And our revered Judiciary, surely they're all above reproach, our esteemed guardians of the law and justice, all are exemplary, totally irreproachable - or are they? Why is there a pervading stench of immorality exuding from the hallowed chambers of our palaces of justice? I'm too old for gaol, but sufficiently wise to know when to shut my mouth!

O sung su

the heart of man is corrupt. Most conservatives recognize this fact and hence put accountability into place to counter it. The sick leftist ideology only sees the opponents to their failed dogmas as being corrupt. Hence the more socialist in media, universities and Governments we have the more corrupt a society becomes. The Clintons are a prime example of my point. In Australia the Greens, unions and abc are prime examples. They rightly point out corruption in the Catholic church but are totally blind to the corruption in their own hearts. Hence you have thuggery, bribes, lies, false reporting and rewarding by the Labour party and Greens for bad behaviour.

Hi there RUNNER...

Sadly you're right, speaking of the ABC there appears to be an absence of ethical standards of balance, instead there's clear bias, though fervently denied, nevertheless it clearly exists. But so does Radio 2GB overtly conservative and very much to the 'Right'. With respect to the two examples given herein, is what they're doing corrupt, or are they simply exhibiting their Station's political proclivities?

You also cite the 'CLINTON'S, and we're all aware of the adulterous and scandalous behaviour of President Bill CLINTON during his Presidency, with his young female intern? And Mrs CLINTON, the Sec. of State. The many untruths she's accused of telling? And the list goes on and on? Thanks RUNNER - and when you think about it, we're living in a really depressive world.

Dear o sung wu,

I remember having dinner with an Indian ship's captain and his first mate at least a decade ago. It was my shout since he was looking to spend a considerable amount of money with my business at the time. After some good food and wine he asked if I had ever been to India. I had not but he wanted to know my thoughts of his country anyway.

I replied something along the lines that I thought it seemed like a fascinating place but that bribery and corruption seemed like the norm not like Australia. He and the first mate fell about laughing.

When he stopped he asked what on earth did I think I was up to with the dinner. He explained quite rightly that I was attempting to win his business not purely by price and service but also with inducements. I admitted he had a point but I said this was between businesses but that in most cases attempting to bribe a policeman over a traffic stop in Australia just wouldn't wash, unlike India.

He then got serious and said he admitted that there was plenty of street level corruption in India but the corruption in Australia was at the highest level where it was far more insidious than a lowly cop padding a meager wage.

When asked to justify the claim he straight away reeled off a whole bunch of scandals and at the top was the AWB paying bribes to Saddam Hussein. But he also told me of the $4000 cash the had paid on behalf of his company to the local harbour master to smooth his ship's turnaround.

I think most Australians are blind to the high level corruption that seems to go unchecked. Recently it was revealed George Brandis had stacked over a dozen high paying commissioner roles in the Administrative Appeals Tribunial with former Liberal Party candidates, staffers and advisers.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/markdistefano/a-brandis-stack?utm_term=.dgZzQaeae#.aoqQGZnZn

In most other Western countries the would have been an absolute outcry. Not here. Why not? Because it is endemic.

Hi o sung wu,

We should not be so naive to think corruption at all stratum's of society is a thing of the past, Eddie Obeid and others are testimony to that. Corruption can take many forms, from the crass direct payment for favour which is generally the more sensational news worthy type, particularly when it involves those who are best placed to obtain the greatest gain, or are in a position of trust. The other less obvious corruption is the "gift" type, when nothing is directly asked for by the giver, but there is an underlying expectation of future favour. There is a fine line between appreciation and favor.

On the public front we have better mechanisms in place (hopefully) these days to uncover public corruption. The work of the NSW ICAC is a prime example of that. Unfortunately I cannot say that about some other organizations, some unions and some private employers, the HSU and Nathen Tinkler are two examples that have been uncovered, I am sure there are many more yet to be discovered.
We have to be careful as to what powers we give to corruption watch dogs, too much could see them becoming as corrupt as those they are charged with investigating. Too little power could see them becoming toothless tigers. It is that balance of the two that is difficult to achieve.

runner some of the most corrupt people we have had in Australian politics have been conservatives. Corruption knows no political boundaries.

o sung wu,

I read this post paragraph by paragraph with out wanting to see the
author until I had read it all.
Mate it sounded like you and it was you and how right you are in posing the question.
I worked under three bent commissioners and two corrupt premiers in NSW. I even had
an "insider" being carted around by Neville Wran's "bagman" (Malcom Johns a debarred solicitor
outed for business migration fraud) in a
white Rolls collecting the brown paper bags on Friday afternoons. Not mentioning the QLD stink.
I came up here first in the Fitz commission to lock up corrupt coppers and the premier.
We got 78 coppers but missed the 'big fish' himself.
Now there is a re-visitation with "Shorty" Dubois getting the lot over the wipe out of the "Whiskey" affair
We all knew who torched the "Go Go: and it certainly wasn't John Andrew or Jimmy Finch and
we all knew on whose orders it was but that is history now.
I first ran into Dubois and his mate Vincent O'Dempsey back in the "Toe Cutter's" days when they tried
to muscle in the Sydney scene.
People like Jack Murray and John Clark and Brian Appleby (all Toe Cutters) sent them back to QLD
with their tails between their legs.
A nasty piece of work that Deboise was. I can personally account for nine bodies he put in the ground,
three of them in Boggo Road. Vincent O'Dempsey was a follower, short on brains but quick on reactionary violence.
Listed as Det.Insp. Mick Dowie now retired because of age stupidity and one of the best police
brains in the business worked the case well after his forced retirement. A good man now reduced to
running "Crime Stoppers" as a civilian volunteer.