Victoria’s newly elected parliament faces a mandate to restore public trust in the state’s integrity and transparency processes after a bruising campaign that saw both major parties referred to corruption watchdogs.
The Labor Party, led by incumbent Premier Daniel Andrews, returned to power in its third election win following victories in 2014 and 2018.
The issue of ‘integrity in politics and government’ was the fifth highest priority of 809 Victorian voters surveyed by The Age, behind the challenges like cost of living and climate change. Furthermore, 51 percent of the 809 surveyed supported measures that would strengthen the integrity commission. The results came amid controversies for both major parties during the campaign. The Andrews Government is alleged by The Age to be linked to four investigations by Victoria’s Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) (to which Andrews stated that he acts “appropriately at all times and in all things”). Opposition Leader Matthew Guy accepted the resignation of his chief of staff months from the election over a donations scandal. But the issue isn’t just resonant in Victoria: several independent candidates at this year’s Australian federal election won their seats while campaigning vigorously in favour of a new national integrity body. So-called ‘teal’ candidates (because of the colour many used in advertising material) won in six electorates, a gain of five from the last vote in 2019.
