'What on earth is going on?' National corruption watchdog’s secrecy move sparks alarm
The National Anti-Corruption Commission's decision to ban media from naming a corrupt official in its first case has sparked debate about transparency and public interest.
The national anti-corruption watchdog has banned media outlets from revealing the identity of a senior Home Affairs bureaucrat found to have corruptly secured her sister’s fiancé a job while concealing their connection.
It is the first indication the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) will adopt a more cautious approach than its state-level counterparts, which routinely hold public hearings and name the subjects of their inquiries — including those ultimately found to have committed no wrongdoing.
But the decision to ban the publication of the woman's identity raises further questions about the level of detail it provided in its report, which made her easily identifiable.
In its first finalised investigation, released earlier this week, the NACC ruled the woman, referred to by the pseudonym ‘Joanne’, engaged in “systemic” corruption.
