The Canberra Principles

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The Australia Institute released a survey which asked parliamentarians a range of questions on acting with integrity, based on principles outlined by the Hon Tony Fitzgerald AC QC, former judge and leader of the Fitzgerald Inquiry, in an article published in the Sydney Morning Herald on the 12^th April. The survey asked all MPs and Senator to answer yes or no:

"As a member of Parliament or the Executive Government, are you ethically obliged:

To act honourably and fairly and solely in the public interest
To treat all citizens equally
To tell the truth
Not to mislead or deceive
Not to withhold or obfuscate information to which voters are entitled
Not to spend public money except for public benefit
Not to use your position or information gained from your position for your benefit or the benefit of a family member, friend, political party or other related entity?"

For more information on the principles, please read Tony Fitzgerald QC's opinion piece on the ABC and listen to his interview on RN Breakfast. For a broader discussion on the importance of political ethics please listen to the Policy Shop podcast with Tony Fitzgerald QC and University of Melbourne Vice Chancellor Glyn Davis.

Signatories

44 prominent Australians, including David Harper AM QC, Paul Stein AM QC, Margaret McMurdo AC, George Williams AO and Nicholas Cowdery AM QC, have already joined with Tony Fitzgerald in calling on parliamentarians to commit to the Fitzgerald Principles:

Name	Position
The Hon David Harper AM QC	Former judge Supreme Court of Victoria, Senior Fellow Melbourne Law School
The Hon Paul Stein AM QC	Former judge of the NSW Court of Appeal, former President of the Anti-Discrimination Board
The Hon Margaret McMurdo AC	Former president of the Qld Court of Appeal
George Williams AO	Dean, UNSW Law
The Hon Kevin Rozzoli AM	Former speaker NSW Parliament, member Accountability Roundtable
Nicholas Cowdery AM QC	Former Director of Public Prosecutions, NSW
The Hon Peter Wellington MP	Speaker of the Queensland Parliament
Ged Kearney	President, Australian Council of Trade Unions
Andrew Dettmer	National President, Australian Manufacturers Workers Union
Gary Crooke QC	former senior counsel assisting the Fitzgerald Inquiry
Robert Richter QC	Barrister
Carmel Benjamin AM	Director of Accountability Roundtable and Founder, Australian Citizens Against Corruption
Geoffrey Watson SC	Barrister
Brian Walters AM QC	Barrister
Emeritus Professor Meredith Edwards AM, ASSA	ANZSOG Institute for Governance, University of Canberra
Emeritus Professor Barbara Pocock	School of Business, University of South Australia
John Menadue AO	Public commentator
Jonathon Hunyor	CEO, Public Interest Advocacy Centre
Kristine Hanscombe QC	Barrister
Dr Ian Reinecke AM	technology consultant, founding CEO NEHTA
Associate Professor Matthew Stubbs	Associate Dean, Adelaide Law School
Professor Cameron Hazlehurst	Adjunct Professor, ANU
Associate Professor Joo-Cheong Tham	Melbourne Law School
Associate Professor Lynne Chester	Department of Political Economy, University of Sydney
Tony Kenyon	President, Australian Lawyers Alliance
Stephen Keim SC	Barrister
Professor Julianne Schultz AM FAHA	Founding editor, Griffith Review
Benedict Coyne	President, Australian Lawyers for Human Rights
Joshua Jones	Barrister
Professor Graeme Orr	TC Beirne School of Law, University of Queensland
Dr Colleen Lewis	Adjunct Professor, Monash University
Maxine Mckew	John Cain Foundation
Howard Whitton	Visiting fellow, University of Canberra
Professor Tim Prenzler	Program leader, Criminology and Justice, University of Sunshine Coast
Professor A J Brown	Public Integrity & Anti-Corruption, Griffith University
Peter Koutsoukis	Principal, Maurice Blackburn
Josh Bornstein	Principal, Maurice Blackburn
Richard Carew	Partner, Carew Lawyers
Alex McKean	Barrister
Rodney Hodgson	Principal, Maurice Blackburn
Klaas Woldring	former Associate Professor, Southern Cross University
Corinne Grant	Lawyer, Maurice Blackburn
Dr Richard Gould	Australian Citizens Against Corruption
Evelyn Doyle	FOI advocate

We the undersigned join with The Australia Institute and Tony Fitzgerald in calling on our parliamentarians to commit to the Principles.

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