What is honesty and integrity in Australian values?
Answer
Being truthful and acting with integrity in public and private life
Explanation
Honesty and integrity in Australian values are the expectation that people deal truthfully and consistently with each other, follow through on commitments, avoid deception and corruption, and act with ethical consistency in both public and private life. The principles underpin the operation of the legal system, public administration, commerce, and personal relationships.
Several specific institutions support honesty and integrity in public life. The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), established by the Albanese government in 2023, investigates corruption in federal public administration. Each state and territory has its own anti-corruption body (ICAC in NSW, IBAC in Victoria, the Crime and Corruption Commission in Queensland, and equivalents). Auditors-General at federal and state level review government spending and operations for integrity. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and the Australian Taxation Office investigate corporate and tax fraud.
Whistleblower protections support people who report wrongdoing. The Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 (Cth) protects federal public servants. The Corporations Act 2001 amendments of 2019 protect private-sector whistleblowers. State-based whistleblower laws protect state and local government disclosures. Specific frameworks protect health and aged care whistleblowers, financial sector whistleblowers, and union members.
Honesty and integrity have been tested in several major recent scandals. The Robodebt automated income-averaging system (2016 to 2019) was found by a Royal Commission to have been unlawful, with senior officials criticised for misleading ministers and the public. Multiple wage-theft cases across hospitality, retail, and fast food in the late 2010s and early 2020s prompted criminal wage-theft laws in several states. The 2018 to 2019 Hayne Royal Commission into financial services documented systemic dishonesty in banking, insurance, and superannuation. The 2017 to 2021 Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse documented widespread institutional cover-ups. Reform responses including the NACC, expanded whistleblower protections, and the National Redress Scheme show the continuing work of building honest and accountable institutions.
Why this matters for your test
Honesty and integrity are essential to the trust that underpins democratic government and commercial life, and recognising the anti-corruption bodies plus whistleblower protections helps new citizens engage with the systems for accountability.
Source: Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond (2024)
