It’s day one for Australia’s federal anti-corruption watchdog, and officials have already received nearly 50 referrals, commissioner Paul Brereton revealed at a ceremonial first sitting this morning.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has begun accepting reports of suspected corrupt conduct by public officials through its website and a phone line. By 5pm on Sunday it had received 44 website reports and five phone calls that officials would follow up on, Brereton said.
“Not only can anyone refer corruption issues to the commission, we can also investigate matters of our own motion … The commission is obviously aware of a number of matters which have been mentioned in the media and elsewhere as potential subjects for investigation,” he said.
“We will assess all the matters of which we are aware to decide whether they should be investigated. It may sometimes be in the public interest that we open an investigation to clear the air and I will use the power to make public statements about corruption issues to do so.”
A few of the NACC referrals are already known. Greens Senator Barbara Pocock, for example, told reporters via email on Sunday she had referred PwC to the corruption authority: “We need a wide-ranging inquiry that examines the possible involvement of large number of unknown people, including PwC partners and staff, in the commission of corrupt behaviour.”
Pocock made her submission via the website, where she found the “submit” button “wasn’t working” properly, she tweeted.
Several other politicians also hurried to tell the public the matters they believed should be investigated. The Australian reported Warringah independent Zali Steggall was among the MPs with plans to contact NACC, and that she was pondering whether to report “taxpayer support for the Beetaloo Basin and grants through the Northern Australia Infrastructure Fund”.
While parliamentarians and politicians have an obligation to report suspected corrupt conduct to the NACC, Brereton warned people not to seek to “weaponise the commission through inappropriate and unfounded referrals”.
“I will not hesitate to use the power to make public statements if necessary to avoid damage to reputations, and to say that the referral was inappropriate,” he said.
Brereton also said his fixed term as commissioner of five years, and the fact he cannot be reappointed or fired unless he’s incompetent, meant he would be a fearless champion of the NACC’s mission.
“I have nothing to gain from favouring, and nothing to lose from offending, any government of the day, present or future,” he said. “I undertake to you, the people of the Commonwealth, that I will, to the best of my ability, fearlessly, fairly and impartially, discharge the duties of this office.
“And now there is work to be done.”
