Anti-corruption watchdog still a chance

The coalition says it is still considering a national anti-corruption watchdog despite rejecting Labor's offer for a bipartisan plan.

Attorney-General Christian Porter

Attorney-General Christian Porter hasn't ruled out a national anti-corruption body entirely. (AAP)

A national anti-corruption watchdog is still being considered, despite the Turnbull government rejecting Labor's offer for a bipartisan plan.

Attorney-General Christian Porter says he is getting advice about the best way to stamp out corruption, including a possible National Integrity Commission.

"A national body is one mechanism being considered and the government remains open-minded about further reforms," Mr Porter said in a statement on Wednesday.

Shadow attorney general Mark Dreyfus said the coalition had officially refused Labor's offer for a bipartisan approach to a national anti-corruption body.

"Mr Porter has determined there is no 'persuasive evidence' that there are gaps in the current system for tackling corruption at the federal level," Mr Dreyfus said.

"We believe the current system - despite many agencies doing important work - is fragmented and further coordination is worth pursuing."

But Mr Porter said the government was doing "hard detailed work" in deciding the right way to tackle corruption.

"Labor's approach has been to announce a body, but provide absolutely no detail about how it would work," he said.

"The experience at the state level has been that this is the worst possible area in which to engage in policy on the run."

In February, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the important issue was not whether the nation needed a corruption commission, but rather if enough was being done by existing agencies to stamp out corruption.

But he did not rule out a corruption watchdog at the time, leading some coalition MPs to suggest it would become a "star chamber" that destroyed reputations before matters were properly considered.


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Source: AAP


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