Western Australia’s corruption watchdog is facing severe resourcing constraints and requires urgent legislative upgrades to effectively police the state's public sector, its top official has warned.

Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC) Commissioner Michael Corboy has called for a major expansion of the agency’s jurisdiction, arguing that the watchdog is currently powerless to investigate private contractors who secure lucrative government agreements.

The push for reform comes as a powerful parliamentary committee conducts a comprehensive review of the CCC's jurisdiction—marking what could be the first major overhaul of the anti-corruption body in more than two decades.

Closing the Contractor Loophole

At the top of the commissioner's priority list is the authority to investigate allegations of corruption against private third-party contractors. Under current legislation, the CCC’s oversight is strictly limited to public servants directly employed by the government.

While Commissioner Corboy declined to detail specific ongoing local inquiries, he highlighted high-profile national scandals where private consulting firms misused sensitive government data as a clear warning sign of existing regulatory blind spots.

"We currently cannot investigate allegations that state government information has been misused by private contractors," Corboy said. "Similarly, there have been recent allegations of organised crime infiltrating NDIS service providers who contract with both federal and state agencies. Under our current framework, we are unable to touch those allegations."

Corboy also noted that under current limitations, the CCC would be unable to investigate the scale of allegations recently leveled against construction union activities on the east coast, which have reportedly cost interstate taxpayers billions of dollars on major infrastructure projects.

The Danger of Fragmented Subcontracts

While the CCC has not received specific allegations of corruption regarding WA's major infrastructure projects, Corboy warned that highly fragmented subcontracting structures inherently invite misconduct.

"The more fragmented the contractual structure, the more potential there is for misconduct and corrupt conduct," Corboy explained, adding that there is also "significant concern" over the long-term placement of private contract workers within senior, influential roles inside government departments.

In response, a state government spokesperson defended existing measures, stating that major public projects are subject to "robust procurement, contracting, audit, and compliance frameworks" that primary contractors are legally required to apply to their subcontractors. A Public Sector Commission spokesperson added that department heads actively monitor contract workers and address conduct issues through standard contract management protocols.

Resource Starvation Hinders Proactive Probes

Beyond legislative powers, Commissioner Corboy stressed that the watchdog is severely limited by its current budget. With increased funding, he said the CCC would shift toward more proactive corruption hunting and conduct broader thematic investigations.

Key areas currently sidelined by budget constraints include a comprehensive review of how regional police handle family and domestic violence cases, as well as community outreach initiatives. Corboy revealed that a funding request to establish a dedicated engagement program for Aboriginal communities was recently rejected by the government.

When asked if the commission is properly resourced, Corboy stated that the constraints are so severe that the CCC cannot even measure whether public sector corruption is rising or falling over time because there is no dedicated budget for statistical trend analysis.

WA Attorney-General Tony Buti acknowledged the watchdog's challenges but praised its ongoing efforts. "The CCC does an exceptional job investigating serious corruption and misconduct in the WA public sector," Buti said. "The commissioner has briefed me on opportunities to expand the commission's work and the funding required. I welcome any formal submissions from the CCC on these opportunities."

Emerging AI Threats and Transit Guard Oversight

Looking to the future, Corboy identified the rapid deployment of artificial intelligence across the public sector as a premier challenge. Over his five-year term, he aims to ensure the CCC develops a deep understanding of both the efficiency benefits and the serious integrity risks AI poses to public administration.

Additionally, the CCC is seeking greater independent oversight of officers wielding "police-like powers," such as prison guards and transit officers. In 2024, the CCC raised red flags over the Public Transport Authority's (PTA) internal investigations after an officer who threw a commuter to the ground at a train station was cleared of wrongdoing.

According to Corboy, the PTA records approximately 1,500 use-of-force incidents every three months, yet very few are reported to the watchdog. Both the PTA and Corrective Services have formally opposed the CCC gaining this oversight, arguing before the parliamentary committee that their existing internal investigation mechanisms are entirely sufficient.