New push for national corruption watchdog

The likely election of Kerryn Phelps in Wentworth means parliament now has the numbers to create a federal anti-corruption watchdog.

Similar bodies already exist at state level but Labor, the Greens and crossbenchers want to see a national body established.

"Having been in a power-sharing parliament before and having seen how quickly these things can move, I think there's now every chance that by Christmas we could be on our way to establishing a federal anti-corruption watchdog," Greens MP Adam Bandt told reporters on Thursday.

"On my reading, once Kerryn Phelps is sworn in, a majority of both houses of parliament would support a federal ICAC."

Dr Phelps said she believes a corruption watchdog could be created in the short term.

"I met with a group of retired judges during the campaign and they have a framework, via the Australia Institute, of a National Integrity Commission," she told reporters.

"It actually surprised rather a lot of people that there was not an overarching federal body to undertake this particular work."

The coalition government has got advice on developing a national body, but in May refused Labor's offer to work on a bipartisan model.