Prominent barrister Geoffrey Watson SC has criticised Australia's failure to establish a federal anti-corruption watchdog, saying it puts Australia out of step with its international obligations given that it is a signatory to a United Nations declaration against corruption. RMIT ABC Fact Check found Mr Watson's claim that Australia is in breach of its treaty obligations is debatable.Yes, Australia is bound by the United Nations Convention against Corruption, which includes a requirement to "ensure the existence of a body or bodies or persons" with the power to combat corruption "through law enforcement". But the convention allows nations to use whatever system best suits their particular circumstances, and their approaches can be wide and varied. In Australia's case, our "multi-agency" integrity system relies on a variety of state and Commonwealth bodies to investigate corruption in the public sector. Included among these agencies is the national watchdog for investigating Commonwealth public sector corruption ' the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity. Experts and advocates are divided on whether this system is sufficient for Australia to comply with its treaty obligations, the result of their different interpretations of the convention's requirements.
Verdict: Debatable