The Minns Labor Government has agreed to a request from the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption for additional funding, as it deals with a steady rise in corruption inquiries.
The creation of an additional investigations team, including greater capacity for artificial intelligence-backed analysis, represents a return to resourcing levels prior to cuts made by the former Coalition government.
The $800,000 increase will be reported to the parliament, in line with ICAC's independent funding arrangements introduced by the Minns Labor Government.
An Assistant Commissioner has also been appointed to deal with an anticipated increase in private and public hearings.
ICAC has reported a surge in new matters for investigation, putting pressure on its three existing investigation teams.
The agency's cases have become increasingly complex due to the widespread public use of new digital technologies.
The fourth team will include a digital forensic officer to tackle the increase in the volume of data being collected.
In the 2024-25 financial year, 46.5 terabytes of data were processed by ICAC's digital forensics team. In the 1 July 2025 - 30 September 2025 quarter, 37 terabytes were processed, the equivalent of 240 million pages of documents.
Since 1 July 2025, the Commission has executed seven search warrants, seizing or moving a total of 18 terabytes of data.
Section 11 referrals, which require NSW Government agencies and local councils to report suspected corrupt conduct to ICAC, have increased by 80 per cent, from 728 in 2018-19 to 1,311 in 2024-25.
The increased resourcing will strengthen the independent agency's work to investigate, expose, prevent and educate against corrupt conduct and streamline operations to more efficiently carry out investigations using state-of-the-art technology.
ICAC protects the public interest, prevents breaches of public trust and guides the conduct of public officials in the NSW public sector.
Recent ICAC investigations include:
- A Canterbury-Bankstown Council former manager was found to be engaging in corrupt conduct by receiving about $208,000 in benefits from a close friend and Council contractor, whose business reaped more than $4.5 million in gross profit.
- The Commission is investigating whether, since 2012, TfNSW employees partially and/or dishonestly exercised official functions by awarding contracts to, or favouring, companies on the TfNSW panels, in return for benefits.
- Allegations of corrupt conduct at School Infrastructure NSW between 2017 and about 2024, including evidence of improper recruitment practices, misuse of contracts and the misallocation of funds from school projects to favour particular businesses and fund consultancy positions for friends and business associates.
Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said:
"We have established stringent guidelines for the independence of our integrity agencies, and to ensure Parliament's role in independently overseeing their funding.
"This is part of the Minns Labor Government's reform agenda to restore public trust and improve public integrity, transparency and accountability.
"ICAC's funding boost is the first delivered to the Commission under the improved arrangements, and shows the new system working as intended."
Special Minister of State John Graham said:
"The return of this ICAC investigations team will help alleviate some of the strain on the integrity agency to ensure its important investigations are carried out to the highest standard.
"We're providing ICAC with the resources it needs to stop and deter corrupt activity in NSW."
