Incoming commissioners to the state's corruption watchdog have been issued a stark warning from one of the agency's former bosses: "Be brave but don't be stupid".
The advice from former assistant commissioner Anthony Whealy, comes after Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) chief Megan Latham announced on Wednesday she would resign from the top job.
Mr Whealy says Ms Latham had no choice but to quit after the Baird government last week pushed through legislation which would have forced her to reapply for the position.
"The legislation was an enormous setback in the battle against corruption in NSW," he said.
"It was designed to weaken (ICAC's) structures, and in part, it was some kind of payback from those politicians who lost their positions as a consequence of Ms Latham's investigation into illegal political donations," he argued.
Despite having two years left in her tenure, Ms Latham was invited to reapply for her position as either a full-time chief commissioner or one of two-part time commissioners as part of the government's radical overhaul of the watchdog.
During her reign as commissioner, Ms Latham was in charge of Operation Spicer, the investigation into Liberal party fundraising before the 2011 state election which led to several MPs being sidelined.
She also presided over ICAC's controversial investigation into crown prosecutor Margaret Cunneen, which was heavily criticised after the High Court ruled the inquiry was outside the watchdog's jurisdiction.
Premier Mike Baird on Wednesday said he respected Ms Latham's decision not to reapply for her position, and a search for the three new commissioners would begin after she leaves on November 30.
Mr Whealy, who is the chairman of Transparency International Australia, says he wouldn't be surprised if the new commissioners were more wary of investigating politicians.
"Because here is a commissioner who fearlessly investigated parliamentarians and within months of a result, she's forced to resign her job as a consequence of legislation that's made it impossible for her to stay," he told AAP on Thursday.
"Anyone coming into it now would have to realise that if they do act independently and get the big end of town or ruling political party offside, there's now an established precedent for taking action against them," he said.
"Don't offend politicians whatever you do," Mr Whealy urged the would-be commissioners.
Mr Baird has said neither his legislation nor Ms Latham's resignation will impede on any current ICAC investigations from continuing, including Operation Credo - which drew in former Labor minister Eddie Obeid and federal Liberal senator Arthurt Sinodinos.
Share
