Keeping Them Honest

Keeping Them Honest points to the crucial absence of a federal integrity commission to expose corruption in government and public administration, and to hold wrongdoers to account. While the federal government promised to establish such a commission in 2018 (a promise since abandoned), Stephen Charles argues that, in any case, its insipid terms would protect – rather than expose – ethical breaches by federal politicians.

As well, as Catherine Williams reveals, there is an overwhelming need to deal with the dark side of Australia’s political system: the hidden influence of political donors and lobbyists, including the revolving door between lobbyists and former ministers; the absence of controls on electoral expenditure and political advertising; and the cavalier, unregulated expenditure of public money.

Keeping Them Honest explains what we need to do to expose political corruption, uphold accountability, and restore trust – and why we need to do it now.

About the authors:

After a distinguished career at the Victorian Bar and as a Judge of Appeal in the Supreme Court of Victoria, Stephen Charles AO, QC, is now a board member of the Accountable Round Table and the Centre for Public Integrity. He has been for many years a tireless advocate for the creation of a federal anti-corruption watchdog.

Catherine Williams is an adjunct research fellow in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at La Trobe University, where she has lectured and tutored. She holds degrees in Arts and Law and a PhD from La Trobe, and is now research director of the Centre for Public Integrity. 

Product details: 

Authors: Stephen Charles and Catherine Williams

Publisher: Scribe Publications

Dimensions: 155 x 22 x 235 mm

Pages: 258

Format: Paperback

Publication date: 29 March 2022

ISBN: 9781922585646