The Australian Public Service Commission’s latest report reveals 78 public servants were investigated over allegations of corruption in 2017-18.
The report was tabled in parliament in the midst of a complex political showdown over a proposal for a new National Integrity Commission, or a federal version of the NSW ICAC.
Independent MPs on the crossbench are pushing for a body to be set up, and Labor and the Greens also support the idea.
A group of 34 well-known former judges also support a new body that could hold public hearings, describing the current framework as obviously inadequate.
On Tuesday morning, Attorney-General Christian Porter said he had been working on anti-corruption reforms for “six months”.
Mr Porter suggested his preference might be to strengthen existing federal bodies before setting up a new Commission.
Speaking on ABC Radio, Mr Porter singled out the Commissioner for Law Enforcement Integrity – which currently regulates police and intelligence agencies.
“It is a very, very important agency. It largely does very good work,” he said.
“My personal assessment of the agency is that it probably needs some assistance in a variety of ways. But that's the logical place to start.”
Shadow Attorney General Mark Dreyfus. Source: AAP
Shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus said he would welcome the government coming to the table and developing a bipartisan solution.
The APSC’s report found 569 public servants were investigated for breaches of the Code of Conduct, while 4,300 said they believed they had witnessed some form of corruption.
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