In a major stepping stone in the commencement of the Territorys first ever Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), Mr Bruce McClintock SC has been appointed by the Administrator to the position of the ICAC Inspector for the NT.
Mr McClintock is an experienced senior counsel with broad experience in investigations and commissions of inquiry, practiced extensively in the areas of commercial law, equity and media law, trade practices law and planning and environment law.
He has a particular interest in anti-corruption and integrity bodies, their structure and functions, and has written and co-written two key reports relating to the New South Wales ICAC and the legislation under which it operates, including the 2015 report on which recent legislative amendments were based.
Mr McClintock is also the Inspector for the New South Wales ICAC, and he will undertake both roles concurrently.
The Inspectors functions include:
- Evaluating and reporting on the ICACs performance
- receiving and dealing with complaints about the ICAC or members of the ICACs staff
- making recommendations to the ICAC or public bodies regarding practices or procedures.
The Inspector is a completely independent statutory appointment, and is not subject to direction by any person in the way he performs his functions.
Mr McClintock has been appointed for a period of 5 years, commencing on 28 September 2018.
As noted by Chief Minister Michael Gunner:
Territorians want and deserve a Government they can trust one which always puts the public interest ahead of private interests
The ICAC Inspector is a key appointment for the establishment of the ICAC, which was a key election commitment.
We promised Territorians we would work to rebuild trust after a disastrous four years of the CLP, and we are doing that with the establishment of an ICAC the first for the Northern Territory.
The ICAC will have extensive and broad ranging powers to uncover corruption and misconduct. This includes the authority to investigate retrospectively. The ICAC will commence later this year.
