Confusion in Sydney – is it corruption?
Confusion in Sydney – is it corruption?One of the clues regarding corruption is whether or not there is confusion and chaos in government, which usually is a clue to potential corrupt behavior in a government. The Sydney Morning Herald has reported on the fact that “[a] corruption probe into the bureaucracy that runs federal parliament has widened, with multiple public servants ordered to step aside as investigators examine a six-figure exit payment to a senior executive.” This probe began in October, and has continued, with new investigations of the Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS) from that time with additional investigations presently. The present questions are regarding its functioning, including possible conflict of interest which are tied to temporary appointments. The DPS is an important institution as it administrates Parliament House, runs parliamentary security as well as other aspects of Parliament House.
Why should we care about this? Conflict of interest and large payouts to bureaucrats should be a concern. When there are temporary appointments, most of the time they are not regulated and so appointments which fall under conflicts of interests are easier to hide. This has been alluded to in the investigation described and as it is in the senior ranks of the DPS, this signals to other parts of government that it is acceptable and without clarity it can lead to broader unregulated appointments. This should continued to be monitored, as unrestricted conflicts of interest in Parliament are very worrisome for good governance principles.
Link: