Helen Haines leaves door open to pursuing national integrity commission before election

Independent MP Helen Haines could use the final week of parliament before the election to again bring on legislation to establish a national anti-corruption body. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

The independent MP Helen Haines has left open the possibility of again attempting to legislate her federal integrity commission before the election, as another Liberal MP breaks ranks to support a “multi-partisan” approach to the vexed issue.

After the prime minister, Scott Morrison, confirmed this week that the government would fail to deliver on its election commitment to introduce its own bill for a federal anti-corruption body, Haines told parliament that the government had played “the public for a patsy”.