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PM, AG release details for Anti-Corruption Commission
Ahead of the introduction of legislation this week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus KC have unveiled details of their “proposed powerful, transparent and independent” federal integrity body.
Jerome Doraisamy
In a joint statement from the PM, AG and Cabinet Secretary, the Albanese Government outlined a $262 million commitment, over four years, for the establishment and ongoing operation of the National Anti-Corruption Commission.
The funding will, the statement noted, ensure that the Commission has the staff, capabilities and capacity to properly consider referrals and allegations, conduct timely investigations and undertake corruption prevention and education activities.
The Commission will, the government noted, have “broad jurisdiction to investigate serious or systemic corrupt conduct across the Commonwealth public sector by ministers, parliamentarians, and their staff, statutory officer holders, employees of all government entities and government contractors”.
It will operate independently from the federal government of the day (albeit with oversight from a statutory Parliamentary Joint Committee), and have discretion to commence inquiries into serious or systemic corruption on its own initiative or in response to referrals, including from whistleblowers and the public.
The Commission will “be empowered to make findings of fact, including findings of corrupt conduct, and refer findings that could constitute criminal conduct to the Australian Federal Police or the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions”, the statement continued, and “will operate with procedural fairness and its findings will be subject to judicial review”.
The legislation to be introduced this week, the PM, AG and Cabinet Secretary noted, will also offer strong protections for whistleblowers and exemptions for journalists to protect the identity of sources.
“We look forward to support from across the Parliament for a National Anti-Corruption Commission with real power and authority,” the government concluded.
MORE TO COME.
Jerome Doraisamy
Jerome Doraisamy is the editor of Lawyers Weekly. A former lawyer, he has worked at Momentum Media as a journalist on Lawyers Weekly since February 2018, and has served as editor since March 2022. He is also the host of all five shows under The Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network, and has overseen the brand's audio medium growth from 4,000 downloads per month to over 60,000 downloads per month, making The Lawyers Weekly Show the most popular industry-specific podcast in Australia. Jerome is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in NSW, and a board director of Minds Count.
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