An expert panel has discussed how multipartisan support is key to future-proofing the soon-to-be-established National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
The members of the discussion panel on the NACC were Centre for Public Integrity’s Han Aulby, Transparency International Australia’s AJ Brown, and independent MP Dr Helen Haines.
Across the panel, it was mentioned how vital it was that the NACC is as independent and depoliticised as possible.
“An agency like this, if it does its job well, will be controversial, will ruffle feathers, will have political enemies,” Haines said.
Haines was chair of the joint select committee that looked into the NACC bill, making a total of six recommendations about the draft legislation.
Aulby heavily emphasized that the importance of the NACC should not be politicised as to do so would only undermine its independence.
Meanwhile, Brown identified two issues with the NACC in its current state: an absence of coordination with states and territories and a lack of whistleblower protections.
“Crossbenchers have attempted to fill the major gap in the lack of [whistleblower] protection machinery at a federal level by creating a Whistleblower Protection Authority, as recommended by a number of parliamentary committees and inquiries now.
“That’s not yet there,” Brown added.
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