Commonwealth Parliamentary Standards 2020

# Commonwealth Parliamentary Standards Bill 2020 ## What it does This bill creates a new rulebook for how members of Parliament (both House and Senate) should behave, backed up by an independent watchdog called the Parliamentary Integrity Adviser. It covers everything from declaring conflicts of interest to how MPs use public money and what they do after leaving parliament. ## Why it matters Right now, there's no single, legally binding code of conduct for federal MPs—mainly just voluntary guidelines. This bill would make the rules enforceable and give citizens a formal complaints process, making it harder for MPs to claim ignorance about conflicts of interest or dodgy behavior with taxpayer resources. ## Key details - **Parliamentary Integrity Adviser**: An independent officer will handle requests for advice on whether MPs have conflicts of interest, and can investigate complaints about breaches - **What's covered**: Gifts and hospitality, side jobs, using influence for personal gain, confidentiality, and what MPs can do after they leave parliament - **Registers of interests**: Both houses must maintain public registers of MPs' financial interests and outside activities (similar to what already exists, but strengthened)

🔒 Voting closed — this bill has been decided by parliament