Former A-G says stalled governance bills are vital to curb nepotism, abuse of office.

Former Attorney-General Graham Leung has warned that long-delayed transparency laws must be passed urgently as allegations of nepotism and abuse of office continue to surface within Government.

Mr Leung made the call after the Government nearly withdrew three key governance Bills from Parliament before reversing its decision.

The Code of Conduct Bill, Access to Information Bill and the Accountability and Transparency Commission Bill have remained before Parliament since March last year without progress.

Mr Leung said recent controversy involving public officials highlighted why the legislation was necessary.

“Recent allegations of nepotism and abuse of office by some public officials reinforce the importance of greater accountability and transparency in Government,” he said.

The proposed laws would require ministers and senior public officials to declare their assets, face investigations for misconduct, and allow citizens to access Government records.

Mr Leung introduced the three Bills in Parliament in 2025, arguing that stronger rules were needed to ensure public officials acted with integrity and remained accountable to the people they serve.

“The overarching principles for the three codes of conduct are that public office holders must first of all act with integrity and uphold the public interest, be accountable for their actions and decisions, and importantly be respectful of the people they serve,” he said.