Analysis of State and Territory integrity commissions concludes that the strongest and most effective integrity commissions in New South Wales and Queensland share the following powers:

• The ability to investigate any conduct of any person that affects the impartial exercise of public administration. This allows investigation of those outside the public service who seek to unduly influence public decision making, and does not limit investigations to criminal conduct.
• The ability to begin investigations without satisfying a threshold of evidence, meaning that investigations are used in their appropriate function of finding out whether any misconduct has occurred.
• The ability to hold public hearings if in the public interest.
• The ability to make findings and report publicly.

These powers feature in both independent MP Helen Haines’ Bill and the model proposed by the ALP; in contrast, none of them is a feature of the Morrison Government’s proposed Commonwealth Integrity Commission (CIC).