Published Today at 10:39 AM

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Integrity
The Honourable Deb Frecklington

$7.1 million budget boost to strengthen independence of Integrity Commissioner

  • Crisafulli Government is delivering on promise to strengthen independence of Integrity Commissioner with major budget boost.
  • 2025-26 Budget provides $7.1 million in extra funding for the Office of the Integrity Commissioner, allowing it to operate with full independence.  
  • Restoring integrity is a key priority for Crisafulli Government after it was trashed under Labor. 

The Crisafulli Government is delivering a major funding boost in the 2025-26 Budget to strengthen the independence of the Office of the Queensland Integrity Commissioner.  

The Budget provides an extra $7.1 million in funding over four years - and $1.9 million ongoing - to allow the Office to operate as a truly independent statutory body as it carries out its important role. 

Under the former Labor Government, the Office of the Queensland Intergrity Commissioner was not funded to operate as an independent office, and instead remained a division of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet.  

The Integrity Commissioner’s core responsibilities include providing confidential advice on ethics and integrity issues to members of parliament, their staff, senior public servants, and statutory office holders. 

It is also responsible for registering lobbyists and administering the lobbying regulatory scheme, while providing education and training to lobbyists and politicians across all parties. 

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Integrity Deb Frecklington said the budget boost demonstrated the Crisafulli Government’s firm commitment to restoring integrity to government. 

“For the past decade we’ve seen the Labor Party have a total disregard for integrity, with scandal after scandal,” the Attorney-General said. 

“Since coming to office, I have made integrity a priority and that includes ensuring the Integrity Commissioner is genuinely independent. 

“This significant increase in funding will allow the Office to operate effectively and properly discharge its statutory functions. 

“Unlike our predecessors, who wanted to keep Queenslanders in the dark as they ran a protection racket for their mates, the Crisafulli Government is committed to restoring integrity and delivering a more open and transparent government.” 

Since November, the Crisafulli Government has also:  

  • moved to bolster the Crime and Corruption Commission and restored its ability to release critical integrity reports
  • tabled the Trad and Carne CCC reports Labor had buried while in office
  • increased the independence of Queensland’s Public Sector Commissioner
  • delivered the final recommendation in Professor Peter Coaldrake’s Let the Sunshine In report, nearly three years to the day after it was first handed to the former Labor Government, with a permanent Complaints Clearing House established in the 2025-26 Budget.  

ENDS 

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