The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is an independent Commonwealth agency. We detect, investigate and report on serious or systemic corruption in the Commonwealth public sector. We also educate the public service, and the public, about corruption risks and prevention. The NACC mission is to enhance integrity in the Commonwealth public sector by deterring, detecting and preventing corrupt conduct involving Commonwealth public officials through education, monitoring, investigation, reporting and referral.
We operate under the National Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2022 which defines our jurisdiction and what corrupt conduct is.
Our independence from government means the government is not able to tell the NACC what to investigate, or how to do its job.
The NACC investigates allegations of serious or systemic corrupt conduct within the Commonwealth public sector. This includes conduct that occurred before or after it was established.
The NACC can investigate conduct of:
- any person that adversely affects a public official’s honest or impartial exercise of powers or performance of official duties
- a public official that involves a breach of public trust
- a public official that involves abuse of office
- a public official or former public official that involves the misuse of documents or information they have gained in their capacity as a public official.
Find more information about corrupt conduct.
Public officials include ministers, parliamentarians and their staff, and staff members of Commonwealth agencies. Staff members of Commonwealth agencies include individuals employed by or engaged in assisting the agency, and contracted service providers under Commonwealth contracts administered by the agency.
Find more information on what the NACC can investigate.
Summary of the NACC Act
The NACC is governed by the National Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2022 (the NACC Act), which includes these key elements:
- Referrals: anyone can submit a corruption report to us or provide other information about a corruption issue. The Commissioner can decide what to do with these referrals, including whether or not to take any action.
- Jurisdiction: The NACC has the authority to investigate corruption issues across the Australian public sector. This includes parliamentarians and their staff, staff of Commonwealth agencies and contracted service providers.
- Investigation powers: The NACC has broad powers to conduct investigations. This includes the ability to compel witnesses, access documents and enter premises.
- Confidentiality provisions: These require investigations to generally be conducted in private to protect their integrity and safeguard individuals involved. See Part 11 of the NACC Act.
- Public hearings: The NACC can conduct public hearings, but only in ‘exceptional circumstances’. See Subdivision B of the NACC Act.
- Whistleblower protections: These are measures to protect individuals who report corruption from retaliation and to ensure their confidentiality.
- Reporting and accountability: The NACC has obligations to report its findings and recommendations to the government and the public, while maintaining necessary confidentiality.
- Preventive measures: The NACC undertakes initiatives to educate and promote integrity within the public sector to prevent corruption.