The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is a hard-won reform pushed for years by Dr Helen Haines that I was proud to push for alongside other crossbench colleagues.
The NACC is essential to rebuilding trust in politics and institutions which sits now at historic lows.
I have called for some time for Commissioner Brereton to step aside and I welcome his decision to do so today. There have been too many perceived conflicts of interest, too many decisions out of step with community expectations and the need for the NACC Inspector to intervene too many times.
I hope the Albanese Government takes this moment to reform key aspects of the NACC’s operation, including making it easier to hold public hearings.
The appointment of the next Commissioner must occur through an independent and merits-based process that provides Australians with transparency. And it’s on the Attorney-General to ensure this is the case.
We need the next Commissioner to help restore confidence in the organisation and for it to better fulfil the vision we had for it as a beacon of integrity.