The Commission will investigate serious or systemic corrupt conduct across the entire federal public sector — including that which occurred before its establishment.

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.

VIEW ALL

MORE TO COME.