SR nowhere have I stated I do not support the establishment of a federal ICAC.
I just wanted to show there is corruption across all parties.

Dear Foxy,

Our score in the well respected The Economist Democracy Index has also dropped going from 8.96 in 2020 to 8.90 in 2021. At the same time NZ went from 9.25 to 9.37.

http://www.eiu.com/n/campaigns/democracy-index-2021/

While not a huge drop it is further proof of a disturbing trend and one that should be recognised.

People do want a federal ICAC.
Foxy,
Only those who can make money from it ! The decent people just want corruption to decline as quickly as possible. Shaming corrupt bureaucrats is more effective via forums & much, much cheaper !

Dear Steele,

I agree that the drop should be recognised.

However, I don't hold much hope that it will be.

In any case we'll see who wins the next election
and if it's Labor - whether they will establish
a federal watchdog "with teeth "by the end of this
year as promised.

Graham,
> If a significant proportion of the population runs around saying a country has
> become more corrupt, then most likely this will be reflected in the index.
Maybe, but do you doubt they're right?

The Sports Rorts of the 1990s were an example of lack of due process, yet they still forced a minster's resignation. Yet ScoMo's Sports Rorts were a blatant attempt to bribe voters into voting of the Libs. Obvious corruption by 1990s standards, yet the PM denies doing anything wrong!

Then there was the government's persecution of whilstleblowers. Sunlight is the best disinfectant, yet the government wants people to be kept in the dark, and treats the heroes who try to change that as villains. So they're not on corrupt themselves, but encourage corruption!

There are suspicious this is just the tip of the iceberg - why else would the government promise a Federal ICAC with teeth and then abandon the idea completely when Labor refused to back their toothless version that specifically excluded politicians?

Tonight's 4 Corners is set to show even more evidence of corruption. But how much will it take to convince you the problem is real and serious?

As for "the postmodern idea that there is no such thing as objective truth, just power relationships between individuals", it would be a recipe for dishonesty and corruption if it had caught on. But it hasn't, and I can't think of anyone who believes it. Are you perhaps conflating it with the superficially similar idea that it's difficult (if not impossible) to discover the whole truth, and what appears to be objective truth can turn out to be nothing of the sort?

(apologies for the typo: "not on..." should be "not only...")