The spotlight has been shone on anti-corruption commissions with the creation of the National Anti-corruption Commission at the federal level in 2023. Despite the importance of these agencies in combating corruption in government, there is relatively little academic research in this area. This article will conduct a historical analysis of the development and evolution of anti-corruption commissions across the Australian federation. It will examine major legislative amendments to Australian anti-corruption commissions from their inception, and the political context in which amendments have occurred, with the goal of determining whether the changes to these bodies are attempts to bolster their function, clip their wings, or protect individual rights. We argue that while principles of independence, accountability and individual protection are important at the level of institutional design, the history and evolution of these bodies reveal the significant and sometimes overwhelming importance of political factors in driving design changes.

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