On 6 May 2010, the Attorney-General announced that he would “review the operation and effectiveness of South Australia's existing public integrity system”.

 

The request for submissions went out a week after the Government’s announcement and only gave a month for stakeholders respond.  In contrast, the Victorian Government’s review of its anti-corruption arrangements allowed three months for submissions in a six-month timeframe.

 

The Law Society and the Bar Association’s submission to the review says;

 

“Given the brief time frame, we have not had an opportunity to review the agencies and authorities mentioned by you in your correspondence in any great detail.”

 

They note that the review fails to even consider their preferred option of an Independent Commission Against Corruption.  Both bodies would prefer a “single, state-based overarching body in South Australia to promote public integrity and ethical conduct, raise awareness, and deal with corruption”.

 

“The Law Society and Bar Association’s submission highlights a fundamental lack of credibility in the Government’s review,” said Shadow Attorney-General, Stephen Wade.

 

The review has been cloaked in secrecy with Attorney-General, John Rau, refusing to release submissions or identify contributors.

 

“This Government has so little interest in transparency it won’t even bother asking whether stakeholders wish for their submissions to be confidential.

 

“The Rau review is invitation-only and is limited to existing agencies that have an interest in maintaining current arrangements.

 

“In Victoria the review was conducted by an independent authority. In South Australia, the Government conducts its own review. Where is the transparency the Rann Labor Government promised?” Mr Wade said. 

 

The Victorian review received 54 submissions, of which only 20 were confidential. It received ‘open’ submissions from a range of accountability bodies such as Office of Police Integrity, Ombudsman Victoria, Office of the Special Investigations Monitor, Victorian Auditor-General’s Office and the Local Government Investigations and Compliance Inspectorate.