The struggle for securing public integrity must be won — for all our sakes. “Transparency is abysmal, with an alarming culture of secrecy pervading our government institutions. With ineffective FOI processes characterised by prolonged delays and dubious claims of commercial and cabinet confidentiality, and a public service muzzled from providing frank and fearless advice, our democratic processes suffer. Substantial reforms must be secured in order to foster a culture of openness and ensure public servants can execute their duties without fear of retribution. “Lobbying too remains in desperate need of reform. There is no adequate register, and no requirement at the federal level that ministers’ diaries must be public (with the detail disclosed sufficient to be meaningful). Nor is there yet any proposal to properly close the revolving door and prevent ministers and senior public servants leaving a position and moving immediately to lucrative positions in the private sector in the same field in which they previously worked. “As if this were not enough, pork barrelling, political finance reform and protections for whistleblowers remain reform priorities that the Government has so far failed to address.” Stephen Charles AO KC, Centre for Public Integrity. publicintegrity.org.au/