Arabic version: تعيين روبرت ماكليلاند رئيساً للمفوضية الوطنية لمكافحة الفساد

According to The Guardian, former Labor attorney general and federal court judge Robert McClelland has been named as the new head of Australia’s National Anti-Corruption Commission.

McClelland was attorney general in the Rudd government from 2007 to 2011. Since 2018, he has served as deputy chief justice of the federal circuit and family court of Australia, after being appointed to the court by the Coalition in 2015.

Christopher Savundra was also named as the commission’s new deputy commissioner. Savundra is the executive director of enforcement and compliance at the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. Both men will begin five-year terms on 11 January next year.

Attorney general Michelle Rowland said McClelland was selected through an open, competitive and merit-based process. The Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission approved the appointments, with Rowland saying both candidates received unanimous committee support.

McClelland succeeds Paul Brereton, the commission’s first leader, who resigned in May. Brereton said criticism directed at him was drawing attention away from the body’s purpose. He had faced criticism over consulting work for his former employer, the inspector general of the Australian defence force, while serving as commissioner.