Brereton reflects on NACC year
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The NACC commissioner has reflected on the watchdog’s first year, while others criticise its direction so far.
In his speech marking the one-year anniversary of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), Commissioner Paul Brereton highlighted the organisation's achievements and challenges.
Delivered at the Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference in Darwin, Brereton remarked on the Commission's commitment to maintaining integrity within the Commonwealth public sector, yet recent controversies have cast a shadow over the NACC’s actions.
Brereton said that the NACC’s mandate is to deter and prevent corruption through both investigations and education, aiming to foster a culture of ethical decision-making across the public sector.
However, criticisms have emerged regarding Brereton's handling of the Robodebt referrals, raising questions about the NACC’s impartiality.
The Robodebt scheme, which unlawfully raised $1.7 billion in debts against over 500,000 social security recipients, was described by Royal Commissioner Catherine Holmes SC as an “extraordinary saga of venality, incompetence and cowardice”.
Holmes referred six public servants involved in the scheme to the NACC for potential civil action and criminal prosecution.
The NACC’s decision not to investigate these referrals has been met with widespread public disapproval and accusations of bias.
Brereton, who has a long-standing personal connection with Kathryn Campbell, a central figure in the Robodebt scandal, delegated the final decision on the referrals to a deputy commissioner.
Yet, despite this delegation, Brereton’s continued presence and influence in discussions have led to claims that the decision was “infected by the bias” of his relationship with Campbell.
Stephen Charles KC, a former Supreme Court judge and a prominent advocate for a national integrity commission, has told reporters that “it would have been unthinkable for [Brereton’s] inferior to do otherwise than refuse to accept the referrals”.
Reports say Brereton remained involved in the process, contributing his views and maintaining a “legitimate and important interest” in the issues raised by the Robodebt referrals.
Charles has called for the NACC's decision on Robodebt to be disregarded due to apparent bias.
The NACC has also “opted to overlook blatant pork-barrelling”, according to some.