The former anti-corruption Royal Commissioner and judge, Tony Fitzgerald, has slammed Australia’s two major political parties for creating what he says to be an amoral, anarchic political culture, controlled by money and lacking in ethics, oversight and accountability.

He says too many politicians are motivated by power rather than public interest and there is too much government by executive.

Mr Fitzgerald says our democracy is not broken but bent, and laments the dominance of Australian politics by career politicians and self-interested groups with a disregard for the public interest in favour of political advantage.

He says voters are little more than observers to a substantially rule-free political contest.

“The community is ill-served by this escalating transfer of power from the public to the dominant political parties and the party’s disinterest in ethical constraints and resistance to oversight and accountability even by independent anti-corruption bodies,” he said.

“Without satisfactory legal and ethical fetters, then political process like all human constructs can be and is manipulated and exploited to advance personal and group interests.

“A political class has evolved which is interested in little but the acquisition and exercise of power.”

Major parties abusing power

He delivered his assessment while launching an initiative of the Accountability Round Table, designed to reward politicians for honour and integrity.

Mr Fitzgerald says it will be his last commentary on the state of government in Australia.

After blowing the lid off Queensland’s corruption in the late 80s, Tony Fitzgerald went to ground.

He broke his silence last year, to accuse the Queensland Government of slipping back into the bad old days.

Today he opened fire on Australian politics more generally. He says the major parties are abusing a position which is entrenched partly by wealth.

“It is now extremely difficult, if not impossible, for another competitive political force to emerge because of the financial advantages held by the two major parties and the critical role that money plays in political activity,” he said.

“My comments are not directed to individual politicians, a specific political party or a particular state and my opinions are simply those of an extremely fallible, aging private citizen, with children and grandchildren who’s interested in Australia’s future.”

Democracy undermined

Mr Fitzgerald says democracy is being undermined because of a disregard for Westminster conventions, an obsession with media management and the ability of well-connected individuals and groups to wield influence.

“Decisions favouring special interests are common. Secrecy and misinformation, euphemistically called ‘spin’ are routinely employed,” he said.

“Media management as it’s called, insults and confuses the electorate, which is denied the comprehensive accurate information which is essential to the proper functioning of democracy.

“Most, if not all conventions concerning standards of political conduct, which the Westminster system once incorporated, such as ministerial responsibility are obsolescent.”

Mr Fitzgerald says too often he has seen social division, populism and prejudice used as political tools and support for fundamental institutions abandoned for political advantage.

“The prevailing political culture is increasingly amoral with each party lowering its standards, exploiting gaps in the law and disregarding ethical standards in order to compete.”

Mr Fitzgerald’s groundbreaking report on police and political corruption in Queensland ensures any comments he makes about political power will be heard, but he insists this will be his last blast.

“My understanding is that, shortly before they die, swans sing and although I’m, not as far as I know, in imminent danger of death, this is indeed the last time I propose to speak publicly,” he said.

“I am a very private person. I’ve said all I want to say. I want to encourage the accountability round table in organisations like that but I really have nothing more to contribute.

“I suppose my concerns are really more with Commonwealth and State governments than with local authorities, although obviously the integrity of local authorities is of paramount concern to local residents.”

The Accountability Round Table is now taking nominations for the inaugural awards to honour parliamentary integrity.

It is not clear whether Mr Fitzgerald will be eligible to nominate.