Investigations into former anti-corruption chief Paul Brereton nixed over cost concerns

National Anti-Corruption Commission inspector, Gail Furness, says systemic issues behind two complaints have been addressed

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Two investigations into complaints made against the former national anti-corruption commissioner, Paul Brereton, have been dropped after its watchdog said it could not “justify such expenditure”.

In a statement released on Wednesday morning, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (Nacc) inspector, Gail Furness, said she would end the ongoing investigations because of Brereton’s resignation and her belief that the “systemic issues which had been identified have been satisfactorily addressed”.

“Significant public money has been spent on these two complaint investigations,” Furness said. “In order for the draft reports, which are in part contested, to be completed, further considerable public funds would need to be spent.

“I cannot justify such expenditure in circumstances where Commissioner Brereton has resigned and, in my opinion, the systemic issues which had been identified have been satisfactorily addressed.”

Brereton, the Nacc’s inaugural commissioner, announced he would step down from the role three years into the five-year posting during a Senate estimates hearing in May. His tenure came to an end on Monday this week.

At the time of the announcement, the anti-corruption chief said two investigations into his conduct while in the role were “drawing attention away from the commission’s core purpose of strengthening integrity”.

“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 into a key and respected component of the integrity architecture of the commonwealth,” he said.

One of the Nacc inspector’s investigations into Brereton arose after it was revealed the commissioner, who was once the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force (IGADF), had not appropriately declared conflicts of interest relating to his ongoing role within the IGADF’s office or while overseeing defence-related referrals between July 2023 and October 2025.

While Furness had prepared a draft report, she said it was not necessary to continue the investigation as the relevant information was already publicly available.

Furness said a legal issue regarding whether Brereton had contravened public governance laws, which his lawyers contested, was no longer necessary to resolve after his resignation.

The Nacc inspector added that although she had received 98 defence-related referrals made to the Nacc in the period until Brereton made the conflict of interest declaration, she had not completed her analysis of them.

Nevertheless, Furness concluded changes to the Nacc regarding conflict of interest declarations left her satisfied there were no lingering systemic issues.

Details of another incomplete investigation into Brereton’s conduct will remain largely hidden over concerns about the complainant’s safety and because Brereton’s lawyers contested the allegations.

Furness said the complaint, referred to her in December 2025, related to the conduct of Brereton on one occasion relating to two separate Nacc operations.

Furness said she decided to commence the investigation after receiving Brereton’s response to the allegation after April this year. Furness said lawyers for Brereton “contested the validity of my decision to conduct this complaint investigation and prepare or publish a report”.

She added that “individuals associated with the occasion have told me of their concerns about their and their families’ safety if details of the allegation and surrounding events were disclosed publicly”.

On that basis, Furness said the publication of a final report into the matter would be “significantly curtailed” and that was a “strong factor in not continuing the complaint investigation”.

The Nacc inspector concluded that Brereton’s resignation meant the Nacc would no longer be “unnecessarily hampered by continued scrutiny of [Brereton’s] actions” and that both investigations should cease.

The Nacc welcomed Furness’ finding that there were no ongoing systemic issues and appreciated her decision to drop the investigations.

“We have a range of prevention and education activities underway, as well as a number of important investigations,” acting commissioner Kylie Kilgour said.