Anthony Albanese has warned crossbench MPs and senators they will be to blame for any delay to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (Nacc) bill.
The prime minister made the comments responding to crossbench MPs who have urged the government not to rush an inquiry into the bill, which will now be introduced on 28 September following the rescheduling of parliament.
Albanese also doubled down on remarks watering down the government’s commitment only to introduce the bill this year, not pass it, but insisted it was still possible despite a “10-day delay” of parliament due to the Queen’s death.
Crossbench senators had mixed reactions, with David Pocock insisting the bill could still be improved and passed this year, while Jacqui Lambie suggested people would accept “a few months’ delay if it means it’s done properly”, saying “you can’t eat a half-cooked chook”.
During the election Albanese and the attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, committed to the integrity body using various formulations, but in both Labor’s election policy and in media releases it was phrased as a promise to “legislate … by the end of 2022”.
On Monday, Albanese said “the commitment we had was that it would be introduced this year, but I’m confident that that timetable hasn’t changed”.
Asked on Tuesday if he misspoke, Albanese replied that at the National Press Club on 18 May he had said “a Labor government … will put forward legislation for a National Anti-Corruption Commission before this year is over”.
“It was a pretty explicit statement that I made three days [before the election]. I just gave you the quote.
“We will have legislation introduced in September, this month, [and] we’re ready to vote for it, in September, this month.”
Albanese said the bill has already been through Labor’s cabinet and will go to caucus on Tuesday 27 September.
The bill is expected to be referred to a joint select committee composed of members of both the House of Representatives and Senate, before a vote in the house no earlier than the week of 7 November – allowing a vote in the Senate in the final sitting fortnight (21 November to 1 December).
But Helen Haines, the MP for the seat of Indi who moved a private member’s bill for a federal anti-corruption commission in the last parliament, said on Monday the timetable for the government’s bill was already ambitious, “even when we were set to be in parliament this week”.
“As it stands we will miss about two weeks of time when the select committee that will examine the bill would have been holding hearings and taking submissions. That is important work,” Haines said.
“Setting up a body such as this is complicated and there will be important contributions to be made that will improve and strengthen the legislation put forward by the government.”
Senator Pocock told Guardian Australia “to fast track the consideration of this legislation, an exposure draft could be released today”.
But on Tuesday Albanese ruled out releasing the bill early, telling reporters “of course it will go to the caucus first”.
“Let’s be serious here, Helen Haines and people on the crossbench … have had multiple meetings with the attorney general about this,” he said. “I’ve had meetings with members from across the political spectrum about this as well.
“There is no delay here. There is no delay. [It’s at most] a 10-day delay. Legislation that is introduced in September that I am confident there will be at least 77 members of the House of Representatives will vote for … they’re the Labor members, so that’s a majority.
“If there is any delay it won’t be because of the Labor party, it will be because of non-Labor members of the house of [representatives] and Senate,” he said.
Pocock said it was still “possible to ensure the Nacc is legislated this year, while also providing proper scrutiny through a committee process and ensuring the final form is robust and can ensure it has the necessary powers to investigate corruption”.
“We must get this done and we must get it right.”
Lambie said Labor was not to blame “for the death of the Queen … [or] things being delayed as a result of it”.
“It’s more important that we get an anti-corruption commission right. I think people will understand a few months’ delay if it means it’s done properly.
“You can’t eat a half-cooked chook. It’s got to be fully baked.”
Crossbench MPs and the Greens have flagged a range of possible measures to strengthen the bill, including setting up an oversight committee with non-government members to recommend its funding in a move aimed to provide budgetary independence.
The Greens are also pushing to expand the jurisdiction of the Nacc to include third parties that attempt to corrupt government decision-making, not just those that contract with the government.
