THE Committee on the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has released its report reviewing aspects of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988 (the Act).

As part of the inquiry the Committee considered the time standards in place for the ICAC to finalise reports, the existing mechanism of judicial review, and the role and powers of the Inspector of the ICAC.

The Committee has made three recommendations.

The Chair of the Committee, The Hon. Leslie Williams MP, advised that “these recommendations seek to improve transparency, facilitate greater accountability and strengthen existing checks and balances”.

“The Committee is recommending that the Government amend the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988 to require the ICAC to develop and publish realistic timeframes for publishing investigation reports, and to report against them,” said Mrs Williams MP.

“The timeliness of ICAC reporting is of ongoing interest to the Committee and the wider community. “The Committee has recommended that in its next annual report, the ICAC provide an update on whether the increased funding made available in the 2022-23 annual budget has shortened the time in which investigations are undertaken and reports finalised,” said Mrs Williams MP.

“Lastly, the Committee recommends that the Government consider amending the ICAC Act to provide the Inspector of the ICAC with similar powers to those currently held by the Inspector of the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission.

“These include powers to investigate certain kinds of maladministration and the ability to require the Commission to formally respond to the Inspector’s reports,” said Mrs Williams MP.

The Committee received eighteen submissions and heard from a range of stakeholders, including the ICAC, the current former Inspectors of the ICAC, and members of the legal profession at the public hearing held on 4 November 2022.

This report is available on the Committee’s webpage.