Laws to overhaul the Independent Commission Against Corruption have swept through parliament despite scathing criticism from the Labor opposition, former commissioners and incumbent chief Megan Latham.
Ms Latham who will now be forced to reapply for a role at the corruption-fighting agency as part of a restructure that replaces a single commissioner with three - two of whom need to agree to investigations before they go ahead.
Opposition Leader Luke Foley described the legislation as a blatant attempt to sack Ms Latham for overseeing an investigation into the Liberal Party donations scandal which resulted in 11 MPs being sidelined.
"This is the lowest point in several decades when it comes to the fight against corruption," Mr Foley said on Wednesday.
"It just makes it clear that no commissioner or commissioners will ever have the guts to inquire into any corruption inside the governing party of the state, whether it's a Labor or Liberal government, because Commissioner Latham was terminated for doing so."
But the legislation, which was introduced in parliament on Tuesday, swept through both houses in little more than a day.
Premier Mike Baird has defended the reforms, arguing they will "deliver a stronger and fairer anti-corruption watchdog".
"We are implementing the recommendations of a bipartisan committee that was unanimous in its recommendations that were supported by Labor," Mr Baird told ABC radio.
"They have conveniently forgot that they were the ones that actually supported this."
Yet the reforms have alarmed two former ICAC chiefs, Anthony Whealy and David Ipp, who say the move will severely weaken the watchdog.
Mr Whealy said the move would likely trouble the electorate.
"Now I don't think Mr Baird's corrupt, but I think the perception that he's paying her (Ms Latham) back for some sort of attack on the Liberal Party will be very apparent to the community," he told the ABC.
Share
