Senate has powers to hunt corruption:Joyce

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has dismissed the idea of forming an independent anti-corruption watchdog to overview federal politics, saying the Senate already performs this function.

"We don't lack any capacity in our federal system to pursue issues that are a concern in the political frame," Mr Joyce told Sky News on Sunday.

The Australian Institute has been running a series of television advertisements calling for a national corruption watchdog to lift the trust in the political system.