With a total lack of public trust in Canberra politicians to do the right thing, its high time that a Federal ICAC was established to investigate allegations of corruption in government. Its not good enough for the Opposition to make allegations in Parliament, only to receive a blank denial from the Government. Its not good enough to leave it to investigative journalists or the Senate, to try and get to the bottom of things. This is where a Federal ICAC with wide ranging powers would come to the fore. The results from the State run ICAC's speak for themselves. A Federal body would have plenty of work to occupy itself with, given the goings on in Canberra right now with at least three government ministers.

http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/oct/17/federal-icac-call-for-anti-corruption-body-after-shocking-lack-of-public-trust-revealed

Paul 1405 thanks for airing this subject again
SMH story this day warns of the now dead Ministerial accountability
Yes we need a Federal ICAC, but not one like the NSW one has become
Murdered by the self interests of BOTH SIDES OF POLITICS
We saw crimes thrown out because of influence, in that case Liberal, but both sides are the very reason we must have a Federal ICAC

Hi Belly,

Yes I totally agree a Federal ICAC is overdue. Listing to Bob Carr yesterday he said the latest 'Chumgate' revelations about Cormann and Hockey should have seen those allegations headed straight to a Federal ICAC with lights flashing and sirens wailing. In the back of the paddy wagon with Cormann and Hockey should be Wilson and Cash.

http://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/hockey-owes-me-helloworld-chief-tells-his-executive-as-embassy-meeting-arranged-20190221-p50zbn.html
Yes agree Paul, but not here, or not from a few in any case
You can bet your last dollar if the link above was about a Labor politician you would hear the screams miles away
That fact points to one thing, honesty is not a requirement for one side of politics
In the view of a small but vocal group
Bishop has pulled the pin, she was let down and again thoughts about women and the LNP arise

Yes Belly another rat has deserted the sinking ship. Granted one of the nicer rats, but a rat never the less. Watched Shorten's speech in Parliament today, very good, Morrison in reply was shell shocked.

unfortunately we now have so many 'activist' judges that one wonders how independant they would be. Look at the atrocious dishonest performance of Triggs when she was paid multi bucks to go witch hunting and arrive at dishonest conclusions.

Bishop gone ? Yippeeeee !

82 Government MP's were asked if they had ever received free travel from 'Halloworld" 14 said they had never been given free travel by 'Halloworld. What about the other 68?

Wink, wink, nudge, nudge "Hockey owes me!", so said the head honch from 'Halloworld' Andrew Burnes. according to a former exec from 'Halloworld'

"A former Helloworld executive (Russell Carstensen) who met with Australia's ambassador to the United States Joe Hockey to discuss embassy travel arrangements says the meeting was set up by the company's chief executive and Liberal Party treasurer Andrew Burnes. In a letter he said his then-boss Mr Burnes set up the meeting with Mr Hockey, saying: "Hockey owes me"."

The question is what does Hockey owe to Burns. When Burns says "jump" Hockey says "how high" BTW Hockey owns $1,000,000 worth of 'Hallowrld' shares. Very interesting.

Paul 1405 this mornings stack of jobs for the boys enforces your view we need ICAC
We need it now
Just a thought are we in Coventry? can it be the intense need to have only one sides views heard or seen here is impacting on the site
Never the less as our opponents rush to put heads in the sand this country moves nearer to its new government
And the Liberal party move closer to its forced internal review of what type of party its voters want it to be.

Hi Belly,

The 'Usual Suspects' are avoiding this thread like the plague, too many uncomfortable truths.

The image of that pair of scum bucks, Hockey and Cormann sitting outside Parliament house chopping on big fat cigars (were those cigars, compliments of the taxpayer), after delivering a kick in the guts to ordinary Australians, with their unfair crap budget That image should stick in the minds of every decent Aussie. The arrogance and self entitlement of this trumped up bunch of wantabees knows no bounds.

The Federal Government reminds me of Fred Flintstone's Leopard Lodge with Scum Ò' Morrison as the Grand Poobah.

Yes, a long list of jobs for the boys, the sheilas don't get a look in with the Liberal Party. I recall when Bishop was the only woman in the Abbott Cabinet, what was the Mad Monk thinking? I know, "We need one sheila in Cabinet, otherwise who's going to make the tea and coffee for the lads, while we discuss secret men's business."

Yes indeed Paul 1405
But is it a site for only one sides opinions, and while it clearly is not, that side wants it to be
After the smash, well after the NSW election warns trouble is ahead, they will blame leftist/reformists/progressives
Never understanding it is their own side, true Liberalism driving the bus that ran over them

Dear Paul and Belly,

Of course we should have a Federal ICAC.

It is long overdue.

However, it should be more than just meetings
and reports. It should have the power to take action
as necessary. We've had Royal Commission's into
Banks, child abuse, now one into aged care,
and so on. That's all well and good. However, will
anything change as a result? One can only live and
hope.

cont'd ...

How can Michaela Cash get away with her denials
and the costs involved in her legal fees to the
taxpayer? Now we have Cormann and Hockey?

It makes Sam Dastyari look like a saint.

CASH, For me Foxy a dirty word
But while knowing nothing about the Shorten donation let me tell what I do know about my union the AWU
It as always, is the driver of the right wing [center unity] of the ALP
It at every level has a branch executive, members are union delegates and some officials
They must clear every donation or other expenditure the union makes
Questions are asked all the time
My branch [I sat on it as a delegate] then as its Chair [as an official]
Donated to the party it helped give birth to its child the ALP.
Nothing Shorten did, or what he is said to have done, was against any law union or election
Had that raid been any of ten near unions for the wealthy/LNP business councils and such, maybe millions of dollars would have been uncovered as donations to? LNP
Even then why would that or any group donation be wrong
CASH is no longer that Minister, she dare not return, but she will be ash after the election and ICAC may find some actions in her defense interesting

Hi Belly,

A Shorten Labor government is going to have a massive amount of work ahead of it after May to clean up the Coalition train wreak. Firstly undoing the paralysis that has infected the Tory governments of both Turnbull and now Morrison. Then there will be the task of getting all those Liberal snouts out of the taxpayer trough, replace that imbecile Hockey with someone half way decent, and he's not the only one who has to go. Get rid of those profiteering from sweet government deals, like 'Halloworld'. Really sort out the banks and their cronies from the big end of town. And there's plenty more, yep certainly lots to do.

Hocky, HELLOWORLD!yes Paul he is likely to end up in some one else,s trough they look after their own
Best part will be watch the Liberal blood letting after
And best of the best will be watching my predictions of a newly empowered small l rebuilding of the party
That however says Labor dare not fail or it will battle for a generation against a brand new Liberalism