Since 15 April, Victoria has had no meaningful political finance laws. That means no reliable way for voters to know who is funding political campaigns. This is a serious threat to democratic integrity. 🧵 1/ #auspol #vicpol #politicalfinance

The Big Four enjoy legal protections designed for accountants — even as they make most of their money as consultants. The Centre's Chair, The Hon Anthony Whealy, asks: who is this really protecting? #auspol

But Anthony Whealy, KC, the Chair of the Centre for Public Integrity, an independent research institute, said that response summed up the importance of changing the culture at the commission. 1/ #auspol

The NACC resignation could be a turning point. Integrity agencies exist to hold public power to account. But recent controversies show they also need strong safeguards of their own. New research report released by the Centre today 👇 1/ #auspol

Why do some scandals lead to reform, while others disappear from the news cycle? Nick Feik joins Will Partlett on The Integrity Puzzle to discuss how investigative journalism, whistleblowers, inquiries, crossbench pressure and civil society can help turn exposure into accountability. #auspol

Victoria has no ban on foreign political donations, no donation cap and no disclosure requirement after the High Court struck down its framework. The Centre's Dr Catherine Williams calls the “regulatory vacuum” a “crisis situation” requiring an “emergency response” Link below #auspol

A watchdog without resources cannot properly hold government to account. The 2026–27 Budget cuts the Auditor-General’s funding in real terms — despite repeated warnings the ANAO’s position is unsustainable. Read more in our factsheet: #auspol publicintegrity.org.au/wp-content/u...

The next NACC Deputy Commissioner should be appointed through: • public advertising • published selection criteria • an independent selection panel • full transparency for parliamentary scrutiny Public confidence depends on the integrity of the process. #auspol

The resignation of Deputy Commissioner Nicole Rose is an opportunity to restore confidence — but the replacement must be appointed through a transparent, merit-based and independent process. Read our statement: publicintegrity.org.au/media-releas... #auspol

Anthony Whealy KC, Chair of the Centre for Public Integrity: "Right from the start, the state government enacted this legislation too quickly. This was legislation that didn't ban protests but it did very effectively discourage them." 1/ #auspol

“Victoria must not respond with a quick fix that simply reworks the same problem. Mechanisms like nominated entities have no place in a modern democracy. They distort the system and entrench inequality.” Dr Catherine Williams Executive Director Centre for Public Integrity wp.me/pfU5Sy-aJp #auspol

Dr Catherine Williams, executive director of the Centre for Public Integrity, said: “We remain concerned about the rate of non-compliance, as well as the rate at which public interest immunity is relied upon as the basis for that non-compliance.” 1/ #auspol

Good lawmaking depends on good process. On 13 March 2026, the Centre for Public Integrity and the Law Council of Australia brought together experts, parliamentarians and legal leaders to discuss how public input into lawmaking can be improved. 1/ #auspol #auslaw

Withdrawing the nominated entity amendments is the right call — they would have left major-party “war chests” intact and allowed spending outside donation caps. Now Victoria must fix the structural unfairness in political finance laws and implement the 2023 review recommendations. #vicpol

This short video covers the Centre's Report Card on the first six months of Tasmania's Rockliff Government across eight key integrity areas. Read the report here: buff.ly/xZPz8Ml #auspol

Watson, speaking in his role as director for the Centre of Public Integrity, said it was surprising Allan did not know her referral could not be investigated, because the current government had made changes to IBAC’s powers that changed its authority to investigate. 1/ #auspol

Last year’s pre-Christmas parliamentary expenses scandal is still reverberating, with the Remuneration Tribunal now recommending tighter rules for family reunion travel. But here’s the bigger issue: parliamentary life is not family-friendly. 1/ #auspol

New Vod/Podcast: Money, Power and the Constitution Special release this morning for students attending the National Schools Constitutional Convention, where the Centre's Professor Gabrielle Appleby will deliver the keynote address More links 👇 1/ #auslaw #auspol www.youtube.com/watch?v=NINv...

The Centre for Public Integrity is calling for the Government to use the new year to strengthen its commitment to transparency. 1/ #auspol

Yesterday, the Senate Committee reviewing the proposed FOI changes released their report... and the Coalition, the Greens, David Pocock and Jackie Lambie all opposed the proposal. #auspol

“There’s an exemption for whenever the prime minister agrees there should be an exemption. That’s a pretty big discretion.” ~ Research Director Professor Gabrielle Appleby #auspol www.theage.com.au/politics/fed...

Anthony Whealy KC, Chair of the Centre for Public Integrity: "For years, governments of both persuasion have made appointments to senior public positions with absolute disregard for integrity, transparency and accountability." 1/ #auspol www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Media release: Government’s Appointments Framework Falls Short of Ending ‘Jobs for Mates’ #auspol

On Tuesday morning, the Centre for Public Integrity said the IEC's establishment would "not solve the NT's integrity crisis". www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11... 1/ #auspol

The Centre for Public Integrity said with trust in government at an all-time low, bypassing scrutiny and public input would only further undermine confidence in the process. 1/ #auspol www.canberratimes.com.au/story/911810...

The State Development Bill 2025 (WA) has been presented by the WA Gov as: … bold new legislation… to unlock strategic precincts, fast-track approvals for major strategic projects around the State, and maintain WA as the strongest economy in the nation. But... 1/ #auspol

With the Government moving the Freedom of Information Amendment Bill 2025 through the House, the Centre for Public Integrity has published fact-checks addressing recent Government claims made in response to parliamentary questions about the Bill. 1/ #auspol

In this report, the Centre assesses the Government’s actions — and inaction — across these key democratic safeguards: 🧐transparency 🎩appointments 🤝limits on undue influence 💪bolstering public service ⚖️supporting institutions that hold power to account. 1/ #auspol

Geoffrey Watson SC, director at the Centre for Public Integrity, said it appeared to be an "entirely understandable, simple error". 1/ #auspol www.canberratimes.com.au/story/909036...

Centre for Public Integrity research director Gabrielle Appleby said parliament needed to lead on government oversight rather than purely leaving it to integrity bodies. 1/ #auspol thewest.com.au/politics/law...

Join Us Live Online (Now): Anti-Corruption Commissions Why they are undermined and towards best practice. eventbrite.com/e/anti-corru... #auspol

Opposition Leader, Sussan Ley MP, has written strongly today opposing the FOI reform. The Centre welcomes this position. This is now an opportunity to reset. 1/ #auspol www.canberratimes.com.au/story/908628...

As Catherine Williams and Gabrielle Appleby of the Centre for Public Integrity noted in a piece for The AFR on Tuesday, the Senate inquiry into the bill received “virtually unanimous damning assessments” in its submissions inbox, which closed last week. 1/ #auspol

The Centre has four key problems with the FOI reform. A that lacks evidence for justification despite repeated requests. 1/ www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

In opposition, the prime minister talked a big game on transparency. It’s about time he walked the walk on open government. ~ Opinion piece by the Centre's ED Dr Catherine Williams and Research Director Professor Gabrielle Appleby #auspol www.afr.com/politics/fed...

Australia’s leading integrity, human rights and media freedom organisations have united to denounce the Government’s Freedom of Information Amendment Bill, warning the reforms will lead to greater government secrecy and less accountability. 1/ #auspol

William Partlett, Stephen Charles Fellow at the Centre for Public Integrity, says the controversy over Brereton’s Defence consultancy shows a repeated failure to recognise how perceptions of bias erode trust in the NACC. 1/ #auspol www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/2025/10...

"Labor’s controversial changes to FOI laws risk “deliberately enshrining secrecy and obfuscation”, with the Centre for Public Integrity raising fresh alarm over the government’s apparent attempt to keep more documents secret." 1/ #auspol www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/polit...

Director of the Centre for Public Integrity Geoffrey Watson says he was disappointed by Commissioner Brereton's consultancy for the IGADF. 1/ www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09... #auspol

Media release: Tasmania Leads on Transparency as Canberra Winds Back Australians’ Right to Know #auspol

There's only been 15 sitting days since the election in May, and in those 15 days there have been 30 mentions of the Centre's report in Parliament ~ Senator David Pocock introducing the Centre's Executive Director, Dr Catherine Williams #auspol www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3cx...

Want to know more what the proposed FOI changes mean and what top experts think of them? Join us for an excellent (and free) webinar at 12.30pm on Monday 22 September Featuring: 1/ #auspol www.eventbrite.com.au/e/foi-at-a-c...

"Everyone agreed that the FOI legislation is in need of updating. And so we were anticipating this legislation..." ~ the Centre's Head of Research Prof Gabrielle Appleby 1/ #auspol www.sbs.com.au/news/podcast...

Centre for Public Integrity head of research Gabrielle Appleby said Ms Rowland’s promise to remove barriers to public servants delivering “frank and fearless” advice was a reference to the widening of exemptions for cabinet documents. 1/ #auspol www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/lawye...

Professor Gabrielle Appleby, Head of Research at the Centre, discussed transparency concerns in relation to the proposed FOI amendments: youtu.be/lRlwZiGxA0Y?... #auspol

Media release from the Centre on the Federal Government's FOI Amendment Bill #auspol

Retired Supreme Court judge Anthony Whealy KC, the chair of the Centre for Public Integrity, said he believed there was a “big question mark” over the deal. 1/ #auspol www.theage.com.au/politics/que...

In 2018, the Senate Select Committee on the Political Influence of Donations Report companies explained that some or the majority of political donations made by them were as a ‘fee-for-service’ A 🧵on some examples of the access we know fossil fuel interests buy. 1/ #auspol

This afternoon in the Senate, the Opposition and crossbench supported @davidpocock.bsky.social's order to produce the Briggs public sector board appointments review. 1/ #auspol

The statements reported today from the Shooters Unions are a rare public revelation of the work of many of these lobbyists – how organised they are, their objectives, their strategy, and how influential they perceive that they are with govt 1/ #auspol www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...