Canberra Liberals leader Elizabeth Lee will present a bill in the Legislative Assembly today that would allow the ACT Integrity Commission to intercept telecommunications.

The Integrity Commissioner has discussed in Annual Reports for the last two years and Estimates Hearings the urgent need to have telecommunications interception powers to conduct investigations properly, Ms Lee remarked.

The Commissioner said in hearings last month that the Australian Federal Police has material that would assist investigations, but due to current legislation, he cannot access it.

Ms Lee said the ACT and Tasmania are the only jurisdictions whose integrity body does not have the legal authority to intercept telecommunications.

“Integrity in government is of utmost importance, and it is disappointing the ACT remains one of the only jurisdictions where the integrity body does not have this power,” Ms Lee said.

“In the recent Estimates Hearings, the Integrity Commissioner revealed the Chief Minister has not even responded to his request for a meeting regarding critical changes required in legislation, specifically telephone interception powers.

“The Chief Minister continues to delay implementing this important piece of legislation and is clearly dragging his heels on the issue.”

A government spokesperson stated in August, however, that the Chief Minister’s office communicated with the Integrity Commission on 17 August to advise an in-person meeting will be arranged after the Chief Minister has received advice and recommendations on the requested reforms from the public service.

• Liberals: Integrity Commission needs more powers (24 August)

“We know this Labor-Greens government has no interest in transparency, but the Integrity Commission must be given the resources it needs to conduct thorough investigations,” Ms Lee said.

“We have seen just this year significant integrity issues around the Campbell Primary Modernisation Project, the CIT contracts, and Acton Waterfront project, and the Commission must be given the resources to investigate these matters.”