Accountability
The Australian Democrats have always been strongly focused on accountability, famously captured by Don Chipp's slogan 'Keep the Bastards Honest'. Recognising Senator Murray's interest in this area, the Democrats created the accountability portfolio for him when he entered the Senate in 1996. Until quite recently, when Labor followed suit, the Democrats were the only political party with such a portfolio.
Senator Murray's consistent work in the accountability portfolio has earned him considerable parliamentary recognition in this field. He has continually placed the need for enhanced accountability measures on the Parliamentary record.
One permanent recognition is found in the 2002 Senate Order Relating to Departmental and Agency Contracts, known as the 'Murray Motion'. The Order is aimed at curbing government contract secrecy. It curtails the abuse of commercial-in-confidence claims and has resulted in a series of Auditor-General reports on these matters.
Senator Murray has introduced a number of Private Senator's Bills dealing with accountability issues including:
- the Public Interest Disclosures Bill 2007. The bill has three principal objectives. First, it creates a framework to facilitate the disclosure of information in the public interest. Second, it creates a framework that ensures such disclosures are properly dealt with. Third, it provides including relief from legal liability and workplace victimisation practical protection for people who disclose information in the public interest.
- the Freedom of Information Amendment (Open Government) Bill 2003. The Bill aims to make government agencies more accountable for their administration of the FOI Act thereby increasing access to information in the possession of government. It is an updated version of Senator Murray's earlier Bill, much of which was unanimously supported by the Senate Legal and Constitutional Committee.
- the Charter of Political Honesty Bill 2000 and the Electoral (Greater Fairness of Electoral Processes) Amendment Bill 2007 . Among other matters this bill focuses on the misuse of government advertising for party political purposes, and truth in political advertising.
Senator Murray has actively and effectively campaigned for greater disclosure of parliamentarians entitlements. Partly as a result of his efforts, reporting has radically improved since 1996. Senator Murray initiated the first-ever Auditor General audit into all Federal parliamentarians' entitlements. The Auditor General Report No. 5 Parliamentarians' Entitlements: 1999-2000 was tabled in the Senate on 7 August 2001.
Accountability Documents
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