User:Philiashasspots/Independent Commission Against Corruption (South Australia)

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), an independent agency of the Government of South Australia, is responsible for minimising corrupt activities and enhancing the integrity of the public administration in the state of South Australia, Australia.

The Commission was established in 1988 pursuant to the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act, 1988 (NSW).

It is led by a sole Commissioner appointed for a fixed five-year term, presently David Ipp, AO QC. The Commissioner submits a report on the activities of the Commission to the Parliament of New South Wales and whilst independent of the politics of government, reports informally to the Premier of New South Wales, presently the Hon. Barry O'Farrell MP.

Structure and operation

The ICAC has jurisdiction over state and local government in South Australia. This extends to parliamentarians, local councillors, the Governor of South Australia, public servants, police and staff of universities and state-owned corporations.

Anyone can refer matters to the commission.

The commission has the coercive powers of a Royal Commission and can compel witnesses to testify. Where the ICAC rules that an official has acted corruptly, the charges are referred to the criminal justice system for trial.

The ICAC is led by a single commissioner, who, though the agency belongs within the New South Wales Premier's Department, reports directly to the presiding officers of the Parliament of South Australia. The commissioner serves a single five-year term and cannot be dismissed except by the Governor.

Development

The 1980s saw a number of corruption scandals break around Australia, involving the Labor administrations in New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia, the Liberal Party government in Tasmania and the National Party administration in Queensland.

In 1988, Greiner, a Liberal, ran against Labor in New South Wales on an anti-corruption platform and won. Introducing legislation to establish the ICAC, Grenier told Parliament that

In recent years, in New South Wales we have seen: a Minister of the Crown gaoled for bribery; an inquiry into a second, and indeed a third, former Minister for alleged corruption; the former Chief Stipendiary Magistrate gaoled for perverting the course of justice; a former Commissioner of Police in the courts on a criminal charge; the former Deputy Commissioner of Police charged with bribery; a series of investigations and court cases involving judicial figures including a High Court Judge; and a disturbing number of dismissals, retirements and convictions of senior police officers for offences involving corrupt conduct.... No government can maintain its claim to legitimacy while there remains the cloud of suspicion and doubt that has hung over government in New South Wales.

History

The NSW ICAC's first task was to investigate the activities of the previous Wran and Unsworth governments. No charges were recommended by the commission.

In 1992, the NSW ICAC ruled that Greiner offer of a government job to former minister Terry Metherell was an act of corruption. Although the charges were later dismissed by the courts, the four independent MPs on whom the premier relied for a majority in the Legislative Assembly indicated that they would not support his leadership. Greiner resigned and was replaced by John Fahey.

Commissioners

The ICAC is led by a single commissioner, who serves for a non-renewable term of five years. Five people have held the post since the commission's establishment:

• Ian Temby QC, 13 March 1989 to 12 March 1994
• The Honourable Barry O'Keefe AM, QC, from 14 November 1994 to 13 November 1999
• Irene Moss AO from 14 November 1999 to 13 November 2004
• The Honourable Jerrold Cripps QC from 14 November 2004 to 13 November 2009
• The Honorable David Ipp AO from 16 November 2009

High-profile cases

*Nick Greiner and Terry Metherell

• Nola Fraser
• Orange Grove affair
• Karyn Paluzzano and Angela D'Amore

External links

*ICAC web site

• ICAC Act second reading speech

Category:Political controversies in Australia Category:Law enforcement in Australia Category:Government agencies of South Australia Category:South Australia courts and tribunals Category:Police misconduct in Australia