In the wake of Ann Vanstone's decision to quit as the state's anti-corruption boss, some MP's have backed her calls for a review of South Australia's integrity laws. The ICAC head says her push for modest reforms and a review of the sweeping changes made to the scheme in 2021 had fallen on deaf ears. The government says its focus for now is finding a replacement for the outgoing Commissioner.
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00:00Both Houses of State Parliament voted as one nearly three years ago to strip powers from
00:08ICAC.
00:09Now, with the Commissioner quitting her post after stating the public interest was not
00:13being served by the reforms, some MPs say it's time for another look at SA's integrity
00:19scheme.
00:20I think the Parliament needs to take very seriously the views of the outgoing Commissioner
00:25and the Government should move swiftly to commission an independent review.
00:30The broad changes narrowed the definition of corruption, restricted ICAC's ability
00:34to contact prosecutors and limited how it shares information with the public.
00:39Anne Vanstone said the Commission had been gagged with her calls for an independent review
00:44and modest reforms falling on deaf ears since 2021.
00:48Robert Sims isn't alone in wanting a rethink.
00:51Do I think we need to go back and revisit what we've done?
00:54Absolutely, I do.
00:56And do I think that in certain respects we went too far and that this didn't pass the
01:02pub test?
01:03Yes, I do.
01:04The Opposition, which was in office when the reforms passed, says it's open to changes
01:09too.
01:10In my role as Shadow Attorney, I'll be looking closely at what we can do to improve going
01:16forward.
01:17While not ruling out a review, the Acting Premier says the Government's focus is on
01:21finding Anne Vanstone's replacement.
01:24She has been heard, we're aware of her concerns and they will be considered alongside any
01:29views that a new Commissioner may have as this system has time to be tested through
01:35its use.
01:36These reforms that have been introduced by the previous Government are less than two
01:39and a half years old.
01:41I'm not quite sure they've been bedded down just yet.
01:44Commissioner Vanstone will leave ICAC in September.