Government Launches Search for New Anti-Corruption Commission Chief

Applications are now open for the roles of commissioner and deputy commissioner following the early resignation of Paul Brereton.

Attorney-General Michelle Rowland speaks during a press conference in Sydney, Australia, on April 30, 2026. Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images

The Labor government has begun the search for a new commissioner and deputy commissioner of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), after the early departure of its inaugural chief, Paul Brereton.

Brereton announced last month he would step down two years before the end of his term, saying ongoing conflict-of-interest allegations had become a distraction for the agency.

Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said the recruitment process offered an opportunity to refresh the commission’s leadership while maintaining public confidence in the body’s work.

“I think this is an opportunity for two reasons. Firstly ... it’s significant that we are doing the first new round of appointments since the inaugural appointments of those commissioner positions, so that’s significant,” she told ABC Radio on June 22,

“And the other is we recognise the importance of transparency in this process. It’s why we have consulted with the parliamentary committee that has oversight for the NACC.”

Rowland also encouraged prospective candidates to review the eligibility criteria published by the Attorney-General’s Department.

No Change to Appointment Process

The attorney-general said the government had considered proposals to change the appointment process, but would retain the existing model.

“We have considered that, and I think the key here is transparency. We will have a selection panel, and this will be done in exactly the same procedural way as was done with the previous commissioner,” she said.

Appointments will be reviewed by the Parliamentary Joint Committee, which Rowland noted had unanimously supported all previous NACC commissioner appointments.

Rowland’s comments come amid ongoing debate about the commission’s operations and visibility.

According to the NACC’s latest update, the watchdog is conducting 29 preliminary investigations and 34 corruption investigations, with four matters before the courts and 11 convictions secured from investigations it has commenced or continued.

“So, whilst I don’t seek to direct the NACC in any way, I do point out that there are some of the pieces of work that have been done that many people might not know about, and indeed the opportunity for a refresh and a reset with [a] new commissioner,” Rowland said.