Author: A J Brown, Professor of Public Policy & Law, Centre for Governance & Public Policy, Griffith University

Australia has turned the corner on its decade-long slide on Transparency International’s annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), once again ranking in the top ten least corrupt countries in the world. The fresh ranking comes just ahead of a federal election, which will determine the future of many key anti-corruption reforms. In the latest 2024 index, Australia rose two points to a score of 77 on the 100-point scale. The index is the world’s most widely cited indicator of how countries are faring in controlling corruption in government. The result confirms a positive trend, placing Australia back in the top 10…

As federal parliament rushes to a close, it’s become clearer that a dedicated agency to enforce the nation’s various whistleblower protection laws will be an important priority for the 48th parliament, after the next election. Widely recognised as the biggest missing link in Australia’s national integrity systems, such a body would support employees who speak up about wrongdoing. It would also help employers and regulators resolve claims of detrimental action. Finally, it would help make legal protections real by shouldering the huge costs of securing compensation for impacts suffered by those doing the right thing. This month, the landmark parliamentary…