New push for national corruption watchdog

A national anti-corruption watchdog could be on its way before Christmas after the government lost its majority in the lower house, the Greens say.

The likely election of Kerryn Phelps in Wentworth means parliament now has the numbers to create a federal anti-corruption watchdog.

Similar bodies already exist at state level but Labor, the Greens and crossbenchers want to see a national body established.

"Having been in a power-sharing parliament before and having seen how quickly these things can move, I think there's now every chance that by Christmas we could be on our way to establishing a federal anti-corruption watchdog," Greens MP Adam Bandt told reporters on Thursday.

"On my reading, once Kerryn Phelps is sworn in, a majority of both houses of parliament would support a federal ICAC."

Dr Phelps said she believes a corruption watchdog could be created in the short term.

"I met with a group of retired judges during the campaign and they have a framework, via the Australia Institute, of a National Integrity Commission," she told reporters.

"It actually surprised rather a lot of people that there was not an overarching federal body to undertake this particular work."

The coalition government has got advice on developing a national body, but in May refused Labor's offer to work on a bipartisan model.


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Source: AAP


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