The Albanese government has fulfilled one of its key election promises — to establish a National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) — after its legislation passed the House of Representatives this afternoon.
The bill passed the Senate last night with amendments by the Greens that expand the powers of the NACC inspector.
The legislation returned to the house today for the final tick of approval, a procedural move given Labor holds a majority in that chamber and the law has the support of the opposition.
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said today was "a historic day" and the legislation was something Labor had been committed to for a long time.
"Labor told Australians that if we were elected we would legislate a National Anti-Corruption Commission this year — today, that commitment is delivered in full," he said.
"I'm proud that the bills which will pass the parliament include amendments that reflect our cooperation and our willingness to work with all sides of the parliament and stakeholders to make the National Anti-Corruption Commission the best it can be.
"This legislation delivers the single-biggest integrity reform this parliament has seen in decades.
"When you change the government, you change the country, and the national anti-corruption commission will change this country forever."
Independent MP Helen Haines, who drafted her own integrity commission legislation during the last parliament and was the deputy chair of the committee for the NACC legislation, congratulated Mr Dreyfus and the government on its success passing the bill.
"It is my deep and sincere hope that this National Anti-Corruption Commission forever places all of us on notice and restores trust to the Australian people in a way that they have been longing for," she said.
"So I am very very pleased to have been part of a parliament that has seen this historic day finally come to pass.
"I'm very proud to have played some role in this and I'm very proud to sit on the crossbench that campaigned on this issue during the election period as well and I'm very proud of the Australian people who saw integrity as the number one issue that they needed to be concerned about."
