Quite rightly, the public holds politicians to a higher standard of accountability and disclosure than the ordinary business person or citizen.
Numerous ex-politicians have fallen on their sword for their private behaviour. Behaviour that may not have been unlawful or unethical but the public deems it to be unacceptable for public officials.
Recent revelations in the ICAC continue to drive significant negative sentiment towards the behaviour of politicians.
One only has to be door knocking or at a community meeting to hear from disillusioned individuals who feel all politicians are corrupt and have their ‘snouts in the trough’ or frustrated and disgruntled residents, who paint all politicians with the same brush.
Many people complain about our system but few voluntarily put themselves forward to face the harshest public-scrutiny our society can deliver as the democratically elected representative of the people.
Like many Members of Parliament, I put up my hand because I wanted to make my community a better place to live, and felt I had something to offer to a community that has given so much to me.
Like many Members, I made financial sacrifices and left a stable and secure job to embark on a political career that I describe as having some of the best days of your life and some of the worst.
A role that consumes all your time and emotional energy – in politics there is no such thing as a day off or down time, your life belongs to the people.
My experience as a relatively new Member being elected in 2011 is that the overwhelming majority of Members are there for the right reasons.
They are motivated to take public office by their desire to make a difference in the communities that they serve.
Members give up time with their family and friends to attend events every night and on the weekends.
They often leave behind secure employment to start at the bottom of the political rung and they attract unprecedented levels of public scrutiny from today’s 24 hour media-cycle creates.
State Members of Parliament are subject to significant regulation, legislation and oversight. Legislation caps donor contributions, and prohibits certain types of donors such as the developers, liquor and gaming industries.
Each year Members are required to declare their pecuniary interests and if they have received any gifts valued over $500 – those declarations are publically available.
Members and political parties are required to identify their donors. And all Members sign up to a Parliamentary Code of Conduct.
The ICAC has wide-ranging powers to investigate complaints and refer matters to the Department of Public Prosecutions.
Despite the significant regulatory framework, it is up to the Member to do the right thing.
Every day, I am acutely aware of the need to maintain a balance between the needs of individuals, community groups, business and NSW as a whole.
Decisions taken are often a compromise between the competing interest of multiple stakeholders – some popular and some not.
The important underlying principle is that decisions are based on the long-term needs of the electorate of Parramatta and the whole of NSW.
It’s about listening to a wide range of stakeholders and then making an informed assessment. Rigorous debate is essential to understanding key issues and ensuring all sides have their voices heard.
So every time that the ICAC reveals potential corruption, we all suffer. The stereotypical view that all politicians are corrupt is unfairly depicted and is simply untrue.
Yet the ICAC revelations centre on the influence money can buy in the political process. Are the wheels greased by campaign contributions? Can money or gifts buy political connections or favourable outcomes?
That’s why I support the open-debate on publically funded election campaigns. The current perception that the political process is able to be manipulated by those with money needs to be publicly discussed.
There are no excuses for corrupt behaviour and I believe the electorate are very intuitive – they recognise and elect politicians who genuinely act in the best interests of the community in which they serve.
