The High Court decision overturned a years-long agreement on the watchdog's powers to publicly share its work.
As a result, this year the government commissioned Holmes to carry out the independent review and advise on how information powers should be returned and what form they should take.
The disagreement between Labor and the LNP over support for the Holmes review recommendations casts uncertainty over the watchdog's future ahead of the October election.
what they said
In the preface to his nearly 500-page report, Holmes said it had become clear to him that a “one-size-fits-all” approach to unlimited discretion sought by the watchdog was “not the answer”.
His proposal was for differentiating thresholds between public officials and elected officials, and individual and systemic corruption, balancing the public interest and the rights of the subjects surveyed.
Public reports to elected officials that do not reach findings of guilt would be allowed, but “must not include critical comments or opinions or recommendations based on their conduct.”
“The conclusions I have reached will almost certainly not please everyone, but they set a workable regimen,” the review said.
perspectives
Premier Steven Miles and Attorney General Yvette D'Ath welcomed the review. D'Ath told reporters on Wednesday that he hoped changes to the law could come before the October election and that it would then be up to the CCC to determine whether, and how, it could release the Carne and Trad reports.
While shadow attorney-general Tim Nicholls noted the important work done by the Holmes review and suggested the LNP consider it in detail, he also criticized his key call to end the control that expressed opinions about the conduct of elected officials.
Deputy leader Jarrod Bleijie, speaking alongside Nicholls at a press conference, echoed this and suggested the Trad report would be “sanitised”, adding the LNP would seek to release it in full if won the government in October under the draft laws presented by Nicholls, but questioned by Holmes.
Geoffrey Watson SC, director of the Center for Public Integrity and former counsel assisting the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption, said Brisbane Times the review was “impressive” in its work examining best practice for these agencies in Australia and around the world.
“It was an excellent exercise because there is naturally a lot of controversy about how far integrity agencies should go, because of the potential for reputational damage, so it was a good idea that the government take it away from the politicians,” he said. .
In a statement, CCC chairman Bruce Barbour said the agency would consider the report and work with the government on the recommendations.
