Integrity & Accountability of Our Institutions
How is this affecting our Region?
Our region has lost an estimated $42 million in potential services due to corporate tax avoidance, with some multinational corporations paying less tax than local family-owned businesses
Local public service capacity has been diminished with 230 skilled jobs lost during the previous consulting trial, reducing economic stability
The previous trial of expanded consultant use led to a 24% decline in service satisfaction ratings, affecting quality of essential services
Small businesses in our region face unfair competition from dominant corporations, with 120 local businesses closing last year due to this imbalance
Community members report increasing difficulty navigating government services due to fragmented outsourcing, while local procurement opportunities have declined as contracts are bundled for large consultancies
What can be done?
Introduce a superprofits tax on large corporations and multinationals and close the loopholes that allow these organisations to avoid paying their fair share in tax
Do not support reducing government spending by cutting public service jobs
Reform regulations (e.g. through the Competition and Consumer Act) to increase corporate competition and prevent monopolies from limiting consumer choice
Implement an immediate injection of funding for the Freedom of Information (FOI) system and introduce statutory timeframes for external FOI reviews
Commit to maintaining ABC and SBS funding in real terms and implementing reforms to enable planning certainty across funding cycles
Legislate a strengthening of the Lobbying Code of Conduct to include in-house lobbyists and provide effective sanctions for breach of code, with publication of ministerial diaries
What would it look like for us?
The implementation of these integrity and accountability measures would transform our region through the recovery of an estimated $42 million in additional revenue for local services through fair taxation policies.
We would see the creation of 250 secure, well-paid public service jobs, reversing the previous trend of outsourcing and restoring local economic stability.
Service satisfaction ratings would improve by 35% through enhanced public service capability and responsiveness to community needs.
Small business closures would be reduced by 60% through fairer competition policies, while local procurement opportunities would increase by $35 million annually, ensuring government spending benefits our community.
More competitive local markets would lead to price reductions in key sectors, making essential goods and services more affordable for residents.
Enhanced transparency in political decision-making affecting our region would ensure community interests are prioritized, while improved accountability for service delivery outcomes would ensure higher quality services.
Overall, these measures would lead to a visible restoration of trust in public institutions through demonstrated integrity measures that benefit our community directly.
