“All the state anti-corruption commissioners think they need and should have powers to hold public hearings,” Charles told Guardian Australia. It said public hearings increased public trust, encouraged witnesses to come forward with new evidence, generated new leads and deterred others from engaging in corruption. Charles said the national integrity committee had “completed the next stage in designing an effective federal anti-corruption body”. The Australia Institute’s executive director, Ben Oquist, said a national anti-corruption body was “incredibly popular with the Australian public, and for good reason”. Charles said “obviously some politicians will have a very strong view that there should be no public hearings”.

Source: The Guardian April 08, 2018 18:00 UTC