Following the release of its report into pork-barrelling earlier this week, the Grattan Institute has called for greater accountability, including for the public service.
In a webinar on the report, co-author of the report and Grattan Institute senior associate Anika Stobart was clear to emphasise that although the recommendations from the Grattan Institute report would mean the minister would ultimately be responsible for decisions made, a multiparty standing committee should be able to interrogate public officials.
“That’s in addition to other accountability mechanisms that we have already in place for public servants,” Stobart said.
“Public servants have a strict code of conduct already and they do have parliamentary oversight of what they do through senate estimates where they also need to justify the decisions and processes that they undertake.”
As for other accountability mechanisms, the promised federal anti-corruption commission should not be seen as the solution but rather a “last line of defence”.
“What we’re recommending in our report are actually stronger processes up the line, and better oversight and guardrails around discretion, which should prevent pork-barrelling and reduce at least the opportunity and the incentive for governments to engage in pork-barrelling.
“But if pork-barrelling does continue, an integrity commission could investigate and make a major finding of corrupt conduct,” Stobart added.
The report called for an open and competitive grants review, co-author and Grattan Institute government deputy program director Kate Griffiths acknowledged it may not always be appropriate in all circumstances, particularly when it comes to emergency grants.
Although in a “grey area” of corruption, the harms of pork-barrelling is not something to be overlooked, argued Stobart.
“Poor barreling by definition means that public money is not going where it will serve the most public benefit. It means less money for valuable projects as for health and education, and as I said, we’re talking big bucks here. Some of the programs are worth a billion dollars.”
Further, Stobart added pork-barrelling creates an “uneven playing field” between government and opposition candidates in elections and promotes a corrupt culture.
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