Opened the debate
Spender argued that public trust in government is critically low, with only one in three Australians believing leaders act correctly and 64 per cent worrying about deliberate misinformation. Spender identified five pillars for rebuilding trust: transparency, accountability, institutional strength, delivery, and community involvement. Regarding transparency, she highlighted that fully disclosed freedom of information requests dropped from 59 per cent in 2011 to 21 per cent in 2023 and 2024, while refusals doubled. Spender called for radical transparency, including publishing ministerial diaries and lobbyist sponsorships, to counter perceptions of undue influence. On accountability, she noted the government had failed to respond to 55 committee inquiry reports within the required six-month period. Spender also criticised recent electoral law changes that made it harder for independents and minor parties to succeed, arguing this reduced parliamentary competition. Spender advocated for restoring the frank and fearless advice role of the public service and improving the speed of the Administrative Review Tribunal, where only 42 per cent of cases are resolved within 12 months. Finally, she proposed using citizens' assemblies and digital tools to engage everyday people in policy reviews, rather than relying solely on vested interests.