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NACC chief Brereton to face Senate grilling after shock resignation National Anti-Corruption Commissioner Paul Brereton will face a grilling by senators at estimates hearings today following his shock resignation on Monday, amid calls for a wider reset of the troubled agency.

Controversy-ridden NACC chief Paul Brereton quits two years short of ... National Anti-Corruption Commissioner Paul Brereton during an anti-corruption conference in Melbourne., Thursday, August 21, 2025. Dominic Giannini/AAP The National Anti-Corruption Commissioner, Paul Brereton, has quit, two years short of completing his five year term. His time in the job has been marked by repeated controversy. Brereton said in a statement: 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 of strengthening integrity in the Commonwealth public sector. I believe that the Commission’s success is paramount, and not due to any single person. While I will continue to resist any suggestion of impropriety, I have decided that it is time, now that the Commission is established and functioning with quality staff and good processes, to step aside and allow a new Commissioner to lead it into the next phase of its development.“ The Inspector of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has been investigating "complaints of agency maladministration or officer misconduct” regarding Brereton’s relationsh…

Nacc chief Paul Brereton resigns as head of anti-corruption body <p>Brereton says ‘ongoing focus on matters relating to me personally’ were ‘drawing attention away from the commission’s core purpose’</p><p>Paul Brereton, Australia’s first national anti-corruption commissioner, will step down from the top job in July, citing criticism of potential conflicts of interest as “drawing attention away” from the body’s core purpose.</p><p>In a statement on Monday afternoon, Brereton said the “ongoing focus on matters relating to me personally” were “drawing attention away from the commission’s core purpose of strengthening integrity”.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/may/25/nacc-chief-paul-brereton-resigns-ntwnfb">Continue reading...</a>

Integrity watchdog boss steps aside from six defence investigations ... ABC News by political reporterOlivia Caisley, Sun 23 March 25 The National Anti-Corruption Commission has confirmed its chief Paul Brereton has recused himself from six defence matters referred to the watchdog and assigned those matters to a deputy commissioner. Integrity experts are concerned about how Mr Brereton is handling potential conflict of interest issues related to defence. The integrity watchdog will appear before a Senate committee on Thursday. The head of the National Anti-Corruption Commission continues to hold senior roles in the Army Reserves, raising fresh questions about perceptions of neutrality as the watchdog probes a $45 billion federal defence contract. Six months after a unintentional misconduct finding was made against Paul Brereton over a robodebt referral, the NACC has confirmed the commissioner is self-managing potential conflict of interest issues if and when they arise. When contacted by the ABC the NACC did not detail whether Mr Brereton had stepped away from a referral regarding the navy’s $45b Hunter frigate project, but confirmed he had recused himself from six defence m…

Corruption chief Paul Brereton resigns, pre-empting investigation into ... Corruption chief Paul Brereton resigns, pre-empting investigation into his conduct Paul Brereton, the former judge who was meant to clean out corruption in Canberra, has resigned before publication of an investigation into allegations he had conflicts of interest. Aaron Patrick The Nightly 3 Min Read 25 May 2026 Updated 25 May 2026 Paul Brereton has resigned as head of the National Anti-Corruption Commissioner. Credit: DOMINIC GIANNINI / AAPIMAGE Paul Brereton, the former judge who was meant to clean out corruption in federal politics and the public service, resigned on Monday before publication of an investigation into his own conduct. The National Anti-Corruption Commissioner said he would leave the agency he has led since its creation three years ago. Denying he had done anything wrong, the Army Reserve general acknowledged that he was under scrutiny over allegations of conflict of interest. The government has received a draft report into his conduct by Gail Furness, a lawyer who handles complaints about the commission. Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters. Get the first look at the digital newspaper, cu…

Paul Brereton: National Anti-Corruption Commission head will be ... The head of the National Anti-Corruption Commission will be investigated for a second time over potential misconduct and conflicts of interest, compromising public confidence in the integrity watchdog that was established as a legacy reform of the Albanese government. Labor minister Don Farrell on Monday said the government still backed NACC commissioner Paul Brereton despite a fresh inquiry into whether his ongoing provision of defence advice while in the role has amounted to agency maladministration or officer misconduct. The investigation will focus on complaints that Brereton took defence-related referrals and gave advice to the inspector-general of the defence force without the full knowledge of the watchdog or the government. Before he was appointed the NACC’s inaugural leader, Brereton chaired the landmark inquiry into alleged war crimes committed by Australian troops in Afghanistan. The NACC inspector, Gail Furness, told Senate estimates in December thatshe had received 90 complaintssince the start of July about potential conflicts of interest involving Brereton and defence matters that had been referre…

National Anti-Corruption Commissioner Paul Brereton resigns The head of Australia's National Anti-Corruption Commission, Paul Brereton, has resigned less than three years into his term. National Anti-Corruption Commissioner Paul Brereton has resigned. Mr Brereton submitted his resignation to the Governor-General, with the NACC revealing it would take effect from July 6 2026. The announcement comes just months after the watchdog overseeing the NACC revealed it was investigating Mr Brereton following "complaints of agency maladministration or officer misconduct concerning two matters". Mr Brereton also faced ongoing scrutiny over the potential conflicts of interest relating to his undisclosed work with the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force. In a statement on Monday, Mr Brereton cited the "ongoing focus on matters relating to me personally" as the reason for his resignation. “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 of strengthening integrity in the Commonwealth public sector, which has always been my primary focus as Commissioner," he said. “I believe t…

NACC boss Paul Brereton resigns amid pressure over misconduct, defence ties Mr Brereton was found in 2024 to have engaged in officer misconduct in his role as head of the NACC and has since faced pressure over his defence connections.