The barrister Julian Burnside, QC, speaking last Monday at the Future Summit conference in Melbourne said, "I suggest we introduce a law that makes it an offence for politicians to lie. Such a law would result in many more by-elections but would create much better public policy, forcing governments to act years earlier on threats such as climate change, rather than ignore the warnings offered by expert advisers."

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Mr. Burnside believes that a measure is necessary to make politicians think beyond the short and medium term prospects of electoral success to tackle issues with long-term consequences. He said legislation could easily be drafted to enforce the law and that the honesty requirement should extend to federal and state parliamentarians and political candidates.

He said any such law could be based on Section 52 of the Trade Practices Act, a provision which makes it an offence for companies to engage in misleading or deceptive conduct. He said the dishonesty law should be limited to untruths told in the course of political life.

 "Honesty is regarded as one of the fundamental bases of our society. Why should politicians be allowed to be dishonest?"

Few professions have fallen as low in public perception as politics. Politicians are suspected of lying, immorality and hypocrisy. A Morgan Gallop Poll revealed only 14% of people trust a politician's word. Rorts in parliament's travel and living away from home allowances reveal the lack of integrity in the lives of those who offer to lead this nation, and who say to electors, "Trust me." They did, and he repaid them with a disgusting lack of integrity.

Infamously, former Senator Graham Richardson said lying was necessary about leadership and policy splits. It is"what is required of modern successful governments". But the Westminster system levies heavy punishment on MPs who lie in the Parliament. The political system in a democracy becomes corrupt if politicians do not tell the truth. Lying makes political management of the news easier, but it also creates crassness, deceit and opportunism.

In speeches in Parliament, on my radio and television programs and on this website, I have advanced these ideas previously and advocated positive measures to improve political integrity.

The opening of State Parliament following the election has brought a flurry from the opposition of claims of "cover-up" before the election, of details concerning safety on the rail net-work, the widening of the Spit Bridge, and many other issues. The opposition is charging fraud, cover-up, lying, and deception - all signs of a lack of integrity.

Dr James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, says "integrity is the word for our times! It means keeping our promises, doing what we said we would do, choosing to be accountable, and taking as our motto, "semper fidelis" the promise to be always faithful." If there are tides in the affairs of men, this is the time to rediscover integrity.

Integrity is the bedrock of social relationships. When we can no longer depend on one another the future becomes bleak. We say "When the time comes, you can count on me." But we are discovering we cannot trust governments, corrupt police, many friends, and sometimes our church. There is a dearth of integrity.

We despise the person whose private life does not reflect his public image. We despise the politician who misappropriates public money or abuses women or children. We despise the policeman who solicits bribes. We despise the school-teacher who is a paedophile. We despise the educated business-woman who tells racist jokes. We despise the family man who abuses his wife and rages at his children.

We do not accept hypocrisy between public talk and private action, between moral claims and immoral acts, between open demands and closed deeds, between inclusive statements and exclusive works. What you are is not what you say you are, but what your deeds show you are. Your word must be your bond. That is integrity. With God, integrity counts! But personal integrity is a rare commodity.

Insurance companies state one out of every five motorcar write-offs are deliberate acts by the owners. Workers compensation cases are inflated by bogus claims. Female absenteeism for sickness and injury peaks four times a year, just prior to each lot of school holidays. We live in a deceitful society, where truth is hard to find. Yet few are calling for a new standard of public morality, community behaviour, and personal ethics.

The key is the practice of intentional integrity. You can have a better family life and career success by being a person of intentional integrity who consistently applies ethical standards to conduct. You need to avoid the pitfalls of conditional integrity.

You must not compromise personal character, competence, or commitment. Do not capitulate to conditional integrity when under fire, being honest only when it's convenient. This is promoted as the way to get on in life, marriage, and business. Yet we see the tragic results of selective dishonesty. Small lies, deceptions, and improprieties lead to fraud, theft and serious social problems.

As the Sydney Morning Herald once said: "One of the justifications for parliamentary privilege is that the Parliament must be a place where the truth is spoken, fearlessly if necessary. The acceptance of lying as a political weapon corrupts the political process." (SMH Editorial 1.11.94)

If politicians deliberately lie, and it is proved, they should be jailed.

In a deceitful society people lie and cheat motivated by greed, desire for power and approval. But those who follow the way of Jesus Christ commit their lives to Him knowing that truth is essential to character, that truth is essential in the fulfilling of our purpose, and that those who listen to truth belong to Jesus Christ. Rediscover integrity through Jesus Christ.

 

Rev The Hon. Gordon Moyes, A.C., M.L.C.