The National Ant-Corruption Commissioner, Paul Brereton, has submitted his resignation to the Governor-General, following three years of not very much.
His resignation follows a tenure marred by controversy, including failing to recuse himself when he should have, holding another paid job without disclosure, and generally leading a commission that has fallen well short of reasonable expectations.
In three years and an annual budget of $67m and 220 staff members, the highlight from the latest NACC report (2024-25) says it all:
- 90% of referrals dismissed through ‘triage’
- 7 Investigation reports
- 34 ongoing investigations
In the press release announcing his resignation, Brereton stated, “The ongoing focus on matters relating to me personally rather than the Commission’s work is drawing attention away from the Commission’s core purpose.”
NACC Inspector Furness states the obvious while Brereton obfuscates
Kim Wingerei is a businessman turned writer and commentator. He is passionate about free speech, human rights, democracy and the politics of change. Originally from Norway, Kim has lived in Australia for 30 years. Author of ‘Why Democracy is Broken – A Blueprint for Change’.