The Centre for Public Integrity
Funding area: Accountable government
The Centre for Public Integrity is an independent think tank working to prevent corruption, protect the integrity of our accountability institutions and eliminate undue influence of money in politics. CPI’s team and board of former ICAC Commissioners and former judges work to reform the foundations of our democracy to make it transparent and accountable to the public interest.
Visit website: publicintegrity.org.au
Grants
2023 Signature Grant, $70,000
2022 Signature Grant, $70,000
2021 Rapid Response Grant, $10,000
2021 Signature Grant, $80,000
2020 Signature Grant, $80,000
Core and responsive funding
Mannifera has provided multi-year and responsive funding to the Centre for Public Integrity to drive its critical reform agenda focuses on:
National Integrity Commission: CPI’s former ICAC Commissioners and corruption experts have designed a National Integrity Commission with a broad jurisdiction and strong investigative powers. This design has received extensive media coverage, and support from policy makers across the political spectrum.
Money in politics CPI has designed reforms including caps on political donations and electoral expenditure, real time disclosure of donations over $1000 and stricter regulation of lobbying. CPI has published a 15 Point Plan to eliminate the undue influence of money in politics, built a database of political donations from the past 20 years and widely published research on the biggest donating industries.
Accountability Institutions: CPI has produced 10 Integrity Principles to strengthen and protect accountability institutions from attacks and undermining, and defended accountability institutions when their funding or independence has been threatened. Secure funding, merit-based bipartisan appointments, and independence from government are among the reforms needed.
Executive Power: needs to be reined in with parliament’s role in drafting laws and overseeing spending strengthened. CPI participated in two major inquiries scrutinising the COVID response and briefed state and federal parliamentarians on strengthening accountability of Ministerial grant-making. CPI’s research has shown that executive law making has doubled in 30 years, and $10 billion of taxpayer money is at risk from inadequate accountability through grants.