Remarks – Australian Public Service Anti-Corruption Conference 2026

Attorney-General’s portfolio Introduction Good morning all, It’s a pleasure to join you for the 10th Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference. I thank Aunty Serena Williams for that warm Welcome to Country, and I acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which we are meeting. I pay my respects to their Elders past and present.

Thank you, Acting Commissioner Kilgour, for your introduction and to the National Anti-Corruption Commission for hosting this important event. I acknowledge my esteemed colleague Dr Helen Haines, Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the NACC, Ms Gail Furness SC, the Inspector of the NACC and the NSW ICAC, and distinguished delegates from anti-corruption and integrity agencies around the country.

It is also wonderful to welcome colleagues from across the Pacific. In particular, I would like to acknowledge today’s two other keynote speakers, Andie Driu Director of Public Prosecutions of the Republic of Naoero and Chair of the Pacific Islands Law Officers’ Network (PILON) Corruption Working Group, and Pascal Prache, the Head of the National Financial Prosecution Office of France.

Today’s conference is an important milestone. For almost two decades, APSACC has provided an opportunity to share and test ideas to improve practice and help maintain public trust. Australians rightly expect public institutions to act in the public interest, to make decisions fairly and lawfully, and to be accountable and transparent for their actions and decisions.

Building and maintaining that trust requires sustained effort, supported by education and strong frameworks. That has been the approach of the Albanese Government’s integrity agenda. Since coming to Government, we’ve worked consistently and methodically to strengthen the Commonwealth integrity framework, rebuild public confidence, and ensure our institutions are equipped for future challenges.

This year’s theme: A strategic approach to integrity – culture, systems and accountability acknowledges the important role each of these three elements play in strengthening integrity. We need accountability mechanisms that ensure transparency and hold public officials to the high standards expected of them. We need laws and systems that promote integrity and help us to manage risk.

And we need our public sector officials and leaders to embody those high standards and to act appropriately if they see something that falls short. All of these things are needed to ensure that people trust government institutions to deliver for them – and that they do. When Australians trust government institutions, they are more willing to engage with services, follow regulations, provide accurate information, and participate in public processes.

The Albanese Government has worked every day to maintain and strengthen trust in our public institutions, recognising its importance to a stronger, healthier democracy. Just one way we’ve sought to do this was by establishing the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme. The Royal Commission was a vitally important mechanism to deliver justice for the more than 500,000 Australians affected by the unlawful scheme, and to ensure a thorough examination of the processes in place by agencies we trust to deliver Government payments and services.

It exposed serious failures in public administration and reinforced the importance of integrity and lawful decision-making across government. The Government acted decisively on the Royal Commission’s findings, accepting, or accepting in principle, all 56 recommendations. It has now implemented 52 of them.

In the time since the last Conference, the Government has settled the Robodebt appeal for $475 million, providing compensation to eligible group members. This is the largest class action settlement in Australian history. For years, Robodebt caused significant financial and emotional hardship.

Many of the people affected were among the most vulnerable members in our community. The Government is committed to securing justice for these victims and to ensuring this kind of a failure can never happen again. Administrative Review Tribunal While the Robodebt Royal Commission sought to address serious failures that took place in the years before we came to office, our Government has also taken decisive action to future-proof Australia’s integrity landscape, including through the introduction of the Administrative Review Tribunal.

The establishment of the Tribunal in 2024 strengthened the integrity of decision-making by providing accessible, independent and efficient review of administrative decisions. The ART is one of the most significant reforms to Australia’s system of administrative review. It has improved procedures and delivered fairer outcomes for Australians seeking merits review, while restoring transparent and merit-based appointments to the Commonwealth’s merits review system, which had deteriorated under the former Government’s Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

The new Tribunal better serves the interests of the Australian community and restores trust and confidence in the review of government decisions. PID Reforms The Tribunal’s work complements the Government’s broader reform agenda when it comes to integrity. On 1 July 2023, this Government’s reforms to the Public Interest Disclosure Act came into effect.

This first stage delivered immediate improvements for public sector whistleblowers. It implemented 21 of the 33 recommendations from the 2016 Review of the Public Interest Disclosure Act, and another 4 recommendations from other parliamentary reports. Notably, the Government delivered stronger protections for disclosers and witnesses, focused the framework on integrity-related wrongdoing, and enhanced oversight by the Commonwealth Ombudsman and the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security.

Strong, effective and accessible whistleblower protections enhance government accountability and strengthen public confidence. The next stage of reform is under consideration and aims to improve protections for whistleblowers and address the underlying complexity of the public sector whistleblowing framework. Secrecy Reform The Government is also taking decisive action to modernise Australia’s secrecy laws to improve transparency and ensure the fourth estate can continue to do its important work.

Secrecy Provisions Amendment (Repealing Offences) Bill 2026 , currently before the Parliament, modernises laws that protect government information. It recognises the need to strike the right balance between, on the one hand, protecting national security and personal information and, on the other hand, the transparency and accountability that underpin our democracy.

The reforms will help to ensure that our secrecy offences are fit-for-purpose, necessary and provide appropriate protections for press freedom. The Bill will repeal or remove criminal liability from more than 300 secrecy provisions. It also introduces a targeted secrecy offence to address issues raised by the alleged PwC breach of confidentiality and provide additional protections for journalists.

Commitment to Open Government Partnership While strengthening our public institutions and the legislative frameworks, I’m proud to say this Government is taking action to promote Australia’s commitment to open Government on the international stage. Australia has been a member of the Open Government Partnership since 2015. The partnership joins governments and civil society organisations around the world in advancing transparency, accountability and public participation.

As part of the partnership, we’re proud to have delivered the third National Action Plan between 2023-2025. The plan delivered important commitments including to enhance youth engagement, improve media literacy and increase transparency in relation to the use of AI and political donations. I had the pleasure of attending the first meeting of the refreshed Open Government Forum in May.

The Forum, which comprises equal members from civil society and government, is now working to develop Australia’s Fourth National Action Plan by the end of 2026. Building on the achievements of previous plans, it will set out commitments that further open government in Australia. The National Anti-Corruption Commission Central to the Government’s integrity agenda has been our commitment to establishing a powerful, transparent and independent National Anti-Corruption Commission.

Since commencing operations in 2023, the Commission has made significant progress and is developing into a mature and robust integrity agency. The Commission has received over 7,500 referrals and assessed well over 90% of these. In its first 3 years, the Commission finalised 60 preliminary and 40 corruption investigations.

It secured 11 convictions and has published 8 investigation reports. A report has been published for each investigation resulting in a finding of corrupt conduct. These figures demonstrate the scale of the Commission’s work and how vital it is to the public officials and members of the community who refer matters.

Investigations are essential, but prevention is equally important. As at May 2026, the Commission has delivered 326 corruption prevention and education engagements. It has also undertaken 107 international engagements and published 37 corruption prevention and education products.

I would like to acknowledge and thank former Commissioner Brereton and former Deputy Commissioner Rose for their significant contributions to the establishment and development of the Commission. Their leadership has helped lay a strong foundation for its important work. I acknowledge, too, that the Commission is undergoing a period of change.

While transitions naturally mark the end of one chapter, they also create opportunities to refresh and reset. The appointment process for the new Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner is now underway. Like all previous appointments to the Commission, the process is open, competitive and merit-based.

Consistent with the legislation, I will refer candidates to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission for approval before recommending their appointment to the Governor-General. The Parliamentary Committee is an important part of the oversight of the Commission, alongside the Inspector. Together, these mechanisms help assure the independence of the Commission and monitor the performance of its functions.

Their recommendations and engagement help to ensure its success. I have full confidence in the Commission’s leadership and future. I expect the Commission will continue to strengthen its capabilities, deepen its impact and maintain the trust of the Australian community through consistent, careful work.

Finally, I’m pleased to conclude by acknowledging that representatives from across the Pacific are joining us at this conference. Corruption risks and impacts do not stop at national borders. Defending integrity is also a regional endeavour.

Cooperation across both Australia and the Pacific allows us to share knowledge and experience, strengthen professional networks and develop responses suited to the needs of our region. The Government values the important work of the Pacific Islands Law Officers Network and is pleased to support PILON members’ efforts to strengthen integrity across the Pacific.

The reforms I have spoken about today are connected by a simple idea: integrity requires continuous effort. Strong institutions are built over time. Sound systems are maintained over time.

Public trust is earned over time. While much has been achieved, this work continues. Integrity frameworks must keep pace with changing technology, emerging risks and community expectations.

Institutions must continue to learn, and Governments must remain open to scrutiny and willing to improve. Each of you here today, and indeed myself as Attorney-General, are central to this task. This conference is an opportunity to recognise the contribution each of us have made, and must continue to make, and renew our shared commitment to the work ahead.

The Government remains committed to delivering practical and enduring reforms that strengthen integrity across the Commonwealth and maintain the community’s trust. And we look forward to working with you towards this important goal.