Transparency Body Concerned Australia’s Corruption Commission Yet to Hold Public Hearings

Transparency International has called for sweeping reforms to the commission’s public hearings powers and transparency settings.

Inaugural commissioner Paul Brereton makes the opening address of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) in Canberra, on July 3, 2023. AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

Australia’s national corruption watchdog has never held a public hearing and is operating largely out of public view, prompting warnings it is failing to build public confidence in its work.

Transparency International Australia, an anti-corruption advocacy group, has urged major changes to how the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) conducts investigations and engages with the public, arguing the watchdog is not using key powers intended to strengthen integrity and deter future misconduct.