The ACT Government has revealed the proposed shape of Canberra's version of ICAC, which it hopes will be armed with the ability to summon witnesses and investigate police officers, and have a discretionary ability to investigate past matters.
Legislation to create the ACT Integrity Commission also reveals the body will be set up to investigate corruption within both the ACT Legislative Assembly, and the ranks of ACT Policing.
That provision will come into force within 12 months of the commission's establishment, after consultation with the Commonwealth Government.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the federal law which created the ACT Government would need to be tweaked to allow the inclusion of police.
"We require a change to the self-government act in order to extend that power," ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said.
"[The Self-Government Act] very heavily restricts the ability of the Territory parliament to make laws in this regard."
Mr Barr conceded that if the Federal Government rejected his request, police would be exempted from the commission's scrutiny.
Opposition on 'unity ticket' for integrity
Before the 2016 ACT election all three parties represented in the Legislative Assembly announced support for an integrity commission.
The Canberra Liberals introduced their own legislation on the matter several weeks ago, and Opposition Leader Alistair Coe said he approved of the bill's basic points.
"It seems that the Government is finally on the same page as the community," he said.
"On first glance, the Government's proposed legislation looks pretty similar to what we presented.
"We're pleased that we all are seemingly on a unity ticket on the need for integrity in Canberra."
Under the legislation to be introduced next week, the commission would have some ability to investigate matters retrospectively, however the Government expects it to focus predominantly on current matters.
There will be no fixed time limit to retrospectivity, but the commissioner will be prevented from investigating conduct which happened "at too remote a time to justify investigation", or before the creation of ACT self-government in 1989.
"The integrity commission will not have jurisdiction over matters prior to the commencement of self-government in the territory," Mr Barr said.
"The focus though is mainly on prospective and current matters.
"There will clearly be interest in matters more this century than last."
The commission will also be barred from investigating conduct retrospectively if it had already been investigated by another body.
A single commissioner will be appointed by the ACT Speaker, and will be able to investigate complaints submitted by the public, along with matters of their own choosing.
The commission's definition of corruption will be modelled on the NSW ICAC.
The Government touts its bill as fully human-rights compliant, in contrast to a bill released by the Canberra Liberals.
