Dirty Work

Politics is often grubby, as investigative reporter Nick McKenzie discovered last year when he exposed the disgraceful behaviour of Victorian MP Adem Somyurek, then an ALP powerbroker with too much power. Somyurek's activities are now being investigated by Victoria's anti-corruption watchdog, IBAC. In New South Wales a similar body, ICAC, is looking at whether former premier Gladys Berejiklian breached public trust by having a secret relationship with another MP. Somyurek and Berejiklian might not be happy about it, but in both cases the politicians have been made to explain. In Canberra though, there is no such thing as a federal anti-corruption commission. In a joint investigation by 60 MINUTES, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, McKenzie explains why there's an urgent need for a federal watchdog, revealing serious but unchecked political dirty work and rorting.

Reporter: Nick McKenzie

Producer: Joel Tozer