Quakers Australia – Integrity in Public Office – Canberra, 2024

Integrity in Public Office action

The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) has a Concern for Integrity and Respectfully Speaking Truth to Power. This Concern began at the formation of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in England in 1652.

Integrity happens when a person is trustworthy in their responses and they are open about their true motives.

For Quakers, integrity is outwards, in their personal, societal behaviour, as well as inwards, in spiritual practice. We collectively discern what we are called by God or Spirit to do at this time regarding integrity, peace, equality, fairness, unity, care of people and of the earth.

Quakers ask for greater integrity in public office and the prioritising of decency and the common good through:

• the allocation of grants on the basis of merit, not vote buying;
• the capping of political donations and their declaration in real time;
• the limiting of industry influence in political decision-making when the common good or the environment are not served;
• the legislation of real consequences for politicians/ senior public servants/ appointees who prove to lack integrity; and
• the cessation of time-wasting personal attacks under ‘parliamentary privilege’.

Politicians and their publicly funded advisers are asked to demonstrate a high level of integrity when making decisions in the best interest of Australia’s economic, societal and environmental future.

 

This Project was discerned and endorsed as a Quaker concern at the annual gathering, Yearly Meeting, in July 2022. The Project, independent from politicians and other organisations, contributes to the groundswell in Australia for much greater Integrity in Public Office.

Integrity – is happening now at a Federal Parliamentary Level?

Several Bills were presented to Parliament in 2023 to address Integrity in Public Office.

Restoring Trust Bill, tabled by Kate Chaney on 7 August 2023. This is a large Bill covering a number of current, murky political processes.
Real Time Disclosure of Political Donations Bill, tabled by Rebekah Sharkie and Helen Haines on 4 September 2023
Lobbying (Improving Government Honesty and Trust) Bill, tabled by Monique Ryan on 13 November 2023
The Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Voter Protections in Political Advertising) Bill, tabled by Zali Steggall on 13 November 2023

The amended Public Sector Whistleblower Protection Bill was accepted in June 2023, in time before the NACC was established. The Attorney General’s office is holding further consultations for the second stage reforms to this legislation.

We often draw on the analysis by “integrity experts”, such as Transparency International Australia, The Centre for Public Integrity, The Australian Democracy Network, the Australia Institute, the Accountability Roundtable.

For more information see: https://www.quakersaustralia.info/concerns/quakers-taking-action/integrity-public-office-project. Or contact Wies Schuiringa: wies.schuiringa1@gmail.com

Watch video links:

Find our more about the public office project by visiting the Integrity in Public Office Project Quakers Australia home page

Summary:

The Quakers support those who also work for greater integrity in public office and welcome others to join them. A lack of integrity in public office causes disrespect, distrust and cynicism in the processes of public office, encourages a further lack of integrity and derails governing for the common good.

Integrity happens when a person is trustworthy in their responses and they are open about their true motives.

Quakers in Australia now ask for: the legislation of real consequences for politicians/ senior public servants/ appointees who prove to lack integrity; and the cessation of time-wasting personal attacks under ‘parliamentary privilege’.