Robert McClelland, a former attorney general and current federal court judge, has been appointed as the new commissioner of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
McClelland served as Australia’s attorney general in the Rudd government from 2007 to 2011. He has been the deputy chief justice of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia since 2018, having been originally appointed to the court by the Coalition in 2015.
Christopher Savundra has also been named as the NACC’s new deputy commissioner. He currently serves as the executive director of enforcement and compliance at the corporate regulator, Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
Paul Brereton, the commission’s inaugural commissioner, resigned in May, stating that criticism directed at him was “drawing attention away” from the commission’s core mission.
Attorney-General Michelle Rowland confirmed on Monday that McClelland’s appointment followed an open, competitive and merit-based selection process.
Both McClelland and Savundra will commence their five-year terms on 11 January next year.
The Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission approved the appointments, as mandated by legislation governing the commission’s operations. Rowland noted that both nominees received unanimous endorsement from the committee.
The selection panel consisted of Attorney-General’s Department Secretary Katherine Jones, former Federal Court judge Raymond Finkelstein, and Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb.
Brereton faced criticism over conducting consulting work for his prior employer – the Inspector General of the Australian Defence Force (IGADF) – while serving as NACC commissioner.
The NACC also drew scrutiny following its initial 2024 decision not to investigate six individuals referred by the robodebt royal commission. The commission later reversed this decision the following year.
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