Is Australia’s top corruption watchdog itself under scrutiny? A bombshell development has just hit the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), and it’s raising serious questions about transparency, accountability, and trust. But here’s where it gets controversial: the NACC’s chief commissioner, Paul Brereton, is now facing an official investigation into his handling of defense ties—ties he allegedly failed to fully disclose. This isn’t the first time Brereton has been in hot water, and critics are calling for his removal. Could this be the tipping point for the NACC’s credibility? Let’s break it down.
In a move that has sent shockwaves through Canberra, NACC inspector Gail Furness has formally announced her decision to investigate whether Brereton and the NACC breached the National Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2022. Furness’s letter to the parliamentary oversight group is blunt: the complaints she’s received about Brereton’s involvement in defense-related matters—including his ongoing role with the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force (IGADF)—warrant a full-scale inquiry into agency maladministration and officer misconduct.
And this is the part most people miss: Brereton’s ties to the IGADF, which conducted the Afghanistan War Crimes Inquiry, were only revealed after media scrutiny forced Attorney-General Michelle Rowland to demand answers. Despite Brereton’s declarations in 2023 and 2024, his continued consulting work for the IGADF—done on NACC time—was never disclosed to the government or the watchdog itself. It took a “please explain” letter from Rowland in October 2025 to bring this to light.
Brereton did eventually recuse himself from defense matters, but his deputy commissioners described the move as “non-negotiable”—hardly a vote of confidence. Now, Furness’s investigation will scrutinize whether these actions violated the very integrity standards the NACC is meant to uphold.
Here’s the kicker: This isn’t Brereton’s first run-in with Furness. She previously found him guilty of misconduct for mishandling a conflict of interest in the Robodebt scandal. Greens senator David Shoebridge has wasted no time calling for Brereton’s removal, arguing that the Albanese government’s continued support for him looks “completely reckless” today. “NACC should be investigating integrity issues, not being investigated for them,” Shoebridge told the ABC.
Later today, Furness and NACC chief executive Philip Reed will face Senate estimates hearings. Brereton, however, is not required to attend. But here’s the question that lingers: Can the NACC regain public trust if its own leader is repeatedly under investigation? And should Brereton step down, or is this all much ado about nothing? Let us know your thoughts in the comments—this debate is far from over.
