Joint Select Committee to Analyse Special Prosecutor Act

Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Senator Dorothy Lightbourne, has said that a Joint Select Committee of Parliament will meet shortly to commence an analysis of the Corruption Prevention (Special Prosecutor) Act.
“The Corruption Prevention (Special Prosecutor) Act, was tabled last year and referred to a Joint Select Committee to consider and report on its findings. The Committee met several times and heard submissions from various stakeholders and is to commence a clause by clause analysis of the Bill shortly,” Senator Lightbourne said during her contribution to the State of the Nation Debate in the Senate on Friday (Feb.13).
The Office of the Special Prosecutor will be a Commission of Parliament, with the specific mandate to receive the statutory declarations from public officials and to prosecute public officials, who engage in corrupt conduct. It will be an important tool in the restoration and maintenance of public trust.
In addition, a Joint Select Committee is also in its final stages of deliberation on the Independent Commission of Investigations Bill, which will repeal the Police Public Complaints Act, and provide for the establishment of a Commission of Parliament with specific mandate to investigate abuses of citizens by the security forces and agents of the state.
“It is expected that the Committee will report to Parliament before the end of this legislative year,” Senator Lightbourne told the Senate.
Meanwhile, a Green Paper outlining the broad concept of whistleblower legislation, identifying relevant issues and the Government’s provisional views, has been tabled in Parliament.
Senator Lightbourne informed that public consultations were recently concluded and a Cabinet submission is being prepared to seek approval for the drafting of a Bill.
“The purpose of the Bill is to encourage citizens to give information about an act of wrongdoing or procedural breach, which occurs within the organisation in which that person operates, by providing them with the requisite protection from prosecution and victimisation,” the Justice Minister outlined.