EP#254 ~ Fighting the bad influencers. How does ICAC keep politicians honest and why is this important for small businesses?

Small Biz Matters: People Policy Purpose ~ Episode #254        
Broadcast date: 4 Feb 2025
Host: Alexi Boyd, Small Business Advocate & Policy Advisor
Guests: Lewis Rangott, Executive Director, Corruption Prevention, ICAC

For those of us old enough to remember the 90’s, there used to be a political tagline – Keeping the Bastards Honest.  It belonged to a political party which has since disappeared but them became a popular slogan, used by media outlets when describing how to keep a watchful eye on those holding the purse-strings, those making decisions and those creating policy.

Even though that political party no longer exists, the question remains, Who does look after the integrity of our political system and keeps a watchful eye those who pull the levers governing in particular, business?

The vast majority of small businesses strive to be fair and equitable in their business practices, and we expect those in politics to behave the same way. But the reality is, just like some small businesses, they are also prone to turning a blind eye, the misuse of funds or power or dare I say it, corruption. We demand a level playing field in business and expect it from our political leaders too.

In NSW, the body dedicated to investigating, exposing, and preventing corruption in the NSW public sector is the Independent Commission Against Corruption or ICAC. They promote accountability and transparency in government decision-making by identifying corrupt practices and ensuring public officials act with integrity. But what’s that got to do with small business?

Well, their work helps level the playing field. By rooting out corruption in processes like procurement, licensing, and regulatory compliance, the ICAC ensures small businesses can compete fairly without the need to bribe or navigate biased systems. This creates an environment of trust, where decisions are made on merit rather than influence or favouritism.

To explain how and why and the impact the ICAC has on small businesses, we are joined by Lewis Rangott, Executive Director of Corruption Prevention at ICAC for I’m sure what will be a fascinating discussion about who now, as the saying goes, Keeps the Bastards Honest.

PEOPLE -  can you tell me about the role of the ICAC? How do other Australian states and territories manage political fairness? Why it’s an important part of keeping the political ecosystem fair and equitable for everyone?  Why is it important for should small businesses to understand about the ICAC’s work? ICAC has done some outreach work, can you explain how this supports rural/regional small businesses?

POLICY - when is small business owner raises concerns with a local MP or any representative of government, what sort of a response should they expect in return? How can we find a better balance to ensure small businesses have just as much access to policy makers as those who can afford to buy it?

PURPOSE - Describing the circumstances in which a private sector business could be found to have engaged in corrupt conduct.

Can you tell us about the Operation Mantis report and how it involved some small businesses?

Can you tell us about Op Hector, which might be relevant because we recommended a debarment scheme for certain corrupt businesses (which the Government has said it would implement).

About our Guest

Lewis Rangott BEc (Hons) MCom started his corruption prevention career at the Commission in 2003 as a senior corruption prevention officer and principal officer. He then held senior corruption prevention roles in the public and private sectors before being appointed to the position of Executive Director, Corruption Prevention, in May 2017. Mr Rangott is also a certified fraud examiner

The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is dedicated to investigating, exposing, and preventing corruption in the NSW public sector. Independent of the government of the day, the ICAC promotes accountability and transparency in government decision-making by identifying corrupt practices and ensuring public officials act with integrity.

For the small business community, the ICAC’s work helps level the playing field. By rooting out corruption in processes like procurement, licensing, and regulatory compliance, the ICAC ensures small businesses can compete fairly without the need to bribe or navigate biased systems. This creates an environment of trust, where decisions are made on merit rather than influence or favouritism. Additionally, the ICAC’s prevention programs and advice encourage better governance, reducing opportunities for corruption to occur. By fostering a clean, ethical public sector, the ICAC indirectly supports the growth of small businesses, enabling them to thrive in a fair and transparent economic landscape.