David Davis,the opposition’s leader in the upper house,will move the motion on Wednesday.Credit:Joe Armao
The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission and the Victorian Ombudsman have both previouslycomplained about their funding security,but the government has rejected this criticism.
“It is hard not to conclude that squeezing the funding is designed by Labor to put the brakes on the embarrassing corruption investigations,” Davis said in a statement.
Last month The Agerevealed Premier Daniel Andrews hadbeen secretly grilled by IBAC as part of the Operation Watts investigation into Labor MPs’ misuse of public resources.
The Australianlater revealed Andrews was questioned privately as part of Operation Sandon,which is investigating alleged corrupt land deals in Casey.
IBAC Commissioner Robert Redlich says the cost of a ‘fully funded’ IBAC would be “astronomical”.
In his motion,Davis noted Labor MP Harriet Shing had blocked Redlich from speaking freely at aparliamentary inquiry into integrity agencies and theirtreatment of witnesses this month.
Redlich was asked whyAndrews was questioned in private,prompting Shing,chair of the committee,to cut the livestream and remind members not to speak about individual matters.