{{Short description|Australian military personnel}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox military person | name = Paul Le Gay Brereton | image = Commissioner of the National Anti-Corruption Commission Paul Le Gay Brereton.jpg | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|08|17|df=yes}} | birth_place = North Sydney, New South Wales | allegiance = Australia | branch = Australian Army Reserve | service_years = 1975–present | rank = Major General | commands = Cadet, Reserve and Employer Support Division (2010–14)<br />5th Brigade (2008–10)<br />4th/3rd Battalion, Royal New South Wales Regiment (1997–99) | awards = Member of the Order of Australia<br />Reserve Force Decoration }} Major General '''Paul Le Gay Brereton''', {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100|sep=,|AM|RFD}} (born 27 August 1957) is an army reservist, legal professional and public servant who currently serves as the Commissioner of the National Anti Corruption Commission.
Born in North Sydney and later enlisting in the Australian Army Reserve in 1975, Brereton held various roles including with the Royal Australian Infantry Corps and as a commanding Officer of the New South Wales Regiment.
Brereton also has a lengthy legal career, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws in 1982, and later being appointed as a Judge in the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 2005. He was later appointed to investigate alleged war crimes committed by the Australian Defence Force from 2016 to 2020, and has served as inaugural Commissioner of the National Anti Corruption Commission from 2023 to 2026.
==Early life== Paul Brereton was born 27 August 1957 in North Sydney, New South Wales. His father, Russell Brereton (1911–1974), saw military service during the Second World War in the Middle East, New Guinea and Borneo and was later a permanent Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.<ref name=nsw-sr-dad>[http://search.records.nsw.gov.au/persons/75 Hon. Mr Justice Russell Le Gay Brereton (BA Hons, LLB Hons)]. State Records Authority of New South Wales, Retrieved 26 December 2014.</ref> Paul Brereton was educated at Knox Grammar School and the University of Sydney. Brereton graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in 1980 and Bachelor of Laws in 1982.<ref name="ORIC 2008">{{cite web|title=2008 ORIC Conference Presenter: Honourable Justice Paul Le Gay Brereton, RFD|url=http://www.oric.org.au/Conferences_ORIC/2008_Speaker_Profiles/Paul_Brereton.html|work=2008 ORIC Conference; Presenter Biography|accessdate=26 December 2014|publisher=Outdoor Recreation Industry Council of NSW|date=August 2008|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150321182809/http://oric.org.au/Conferences_ORIC/2008_Speaker_Profiles/Paul_Brereton.html|archivedate=21 March 2015}}</ref>
==University politics== Brereton was actively involved in student representation at the University of Sydney. He was the Honorary Secretary/Treasurer of the University of Sydney Students' Representative Council in 1979 and the President in 1980 and 81. Brereton also served as a student representative on the Faculty of Arts, the Academic Board and as a Fellow of Senate in 1981.<ref name ="University of Sydney Calendar 1988">{{cite web|title=Senior Officers of the University of Sydney since its establishment |url= https://calendararchive.usyd.edu.au/Calendar/1988/1988.pdf }}</ref>
== Legal career == That year, he was admitted as a solicitor in New South Wales and moved to Sydney, where he practised as an employed solicitor with Duncan Barron & Co until 1987. He joined the Sydney Bar and was appointed Senior Counsel in 1998.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www5.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/NSWJSchol/2005/11.pdf|title=Swearing in ceremony|last=|first=|date=|website=|access-date=}}</ref> In 2005 he was sworn in as a Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. He worked primarily in the Equity Division.<ref name="ORIC 2008"/> He retired in 2023 upon assuming his role as Commissioner of the NACC.
==Army Reserve== Brereton enlisted in the Australian Army Reserve in 1975 and was commissioned into the Royal Australian Infantry Corps in 1979. From 1977 until 1997 he was also Training Officer of the Knox Grammar School Cadet Unit.<ref name="ORIC 2008"/>
His senior appointments have included Second-in-command of Sydney University Regiment (1994–96), Commanding Officer of the 4th/3rd Battalion, Royal New South Wales Regiment (1997–99), and as an instructor at the Australian Command and Staff College (2000–01). He was subsequently Colonel, Reserve Policy (2003–04) and then Chief of Staff, 5th Brigade (2005–06), for which service he was awarded a Land Commander's commendation. On 1 January 2007 he was promoted brigadier and posted as Assistant Chief of Staff, Land Headquarters, and on 1 January 2008, assumed his posting as commander 5th Brigade. Brereton was promoted major general and served as Head of the Cadet, Reserve and Employer Support Division from 2010 to 2014.<ref name="ORIC 2008"/>
== The Brereton Report == From 2016 to 2020, Brereton was tapped by the Inspector General of the Australian Defence Force to investigate allegations of war crimes committed by Australian forces in Afghanistan from 2005 to 2016. Commonly referred to as the Brereton Report, it found evidence of varying levels of misconduct committed by certain ADF members, including; members being either directly responsible for, or accessories to, the murders of civilians and prisoners, planting evidence on civilians killed in action to make them seem like legitimate combatants, and a culture where superiors would encourage junior soldiers to achieve their first kill. The report placed primary responsibility with patrol level commanders, with some responsibility on the senior commanders. The report generated international headlines and resulted in the establishment of the Office of the Special Investigator, to investigate criminal conduct by Australian Forces and the disestablishment of 2 Squadron of the Special Air Service Regiment. <ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-11-19 |title=Australian 'war crimes': Elite troops killed Afghan civilians, report finds |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-54996581 |access-date=2026-03-27 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Australia finds evidence of war crimes in Afghanistan inquiry |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/11/19/australia-troops-war-crimes-xxxx-afghanistan |access-date=2026-03-27 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-11-19 |title=Entire SAS squadron disbanded over disturbing Afghan claims |url=https://7news.com.au/news/conflict/sas-squadron-disbanded-over-afghan-claims-c-1610257 |access-date=2026-03-27 |website=7NEWS |language=en}}</ref>
== National Anti Corruption Commission == In March 2023, Brereton was appointed as the inaugural commissioner of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Evans |first1=Jake |title=Paul Brereton appointed to lead National Anti-Corruption Commission |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-29/brereton-appointed-to-lead-national-anti-corruption-commission/102158514 |access-date=29 March 2023 |work=ABC News |agency=ABC News Australia |publisher=ABC News Australia |date=29 March 2023}}</ref> The Commission's announcement on 6 June 2024, that it would not investigate the so called Robodebt Six lead to a public outcry, large enough that an Independent Investigation was authorised by Gail Furness, the NACC Inspector.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Evans |first=political reporter Jake |date=2024-10-29 |title=Corruption watchdog to reconsider its decision not to investigate Robodebt referrals |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-30/nacc-to-reconsider-robodebt-referrals/104535738 |access-date=2026-03-27 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Canales |first=Sarah Basford |date=2024-06-13 |title=Watchdog to examine corruption commission’s robodebt decision after complaints of alleged ‘corrupt conduct’ |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/jun/13/robodebt-nacc-anti-corruption-commission-watchdog-review-complaints-alleged-corruption |access-date=2026-03-27 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> On 30 October 2024, the findings of the investigation were published and concluded that Brereton as NACC Commissioner engaged in officer misconduct by not fully recusing himself from the decision making process, despite declaring a "close association" with one of the individuals referred to the NACC. Despite delegating the final decision to his deputies, the inspector found that he still maintained "comprehensive" involvement in the decision making process. The Commission would later find two instances of serious corrupt conduct on the part of two of the individual's originally referred.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2026-03-10 |title=Two found corrupt over robodebt but Morrison cleared |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-11/anti-corruption-investigation-into-robodebt-findings/106440278 |access-date=2026-03-27 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref>
On 31 October 2025, Brereton announced he would recuse himself from all defence related corruption referrals, after internal pressure by his deputies.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-12-11 |title=Anti-corruption boss in open dispute with deputies over defence recusal |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-11/brereton-nacc-deputies-dispute-recusal-unnecessary/106131710 |access-date=2026-03-27 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref> This came after it was revealed in September that he had maintained an association with the Inspector General of the Australian Defence Force (offering advice on 21 separate occasions), and had been granted extensions to remain in the army past the mandatory retirement age.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-11-18 |title=Defence inspector inadvertently omitted 10 consultations with NACC chief |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-18/defence-inspector-omitted-consultations-with-nacc-chief/106023634 |access-date=2026-03-27 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref> This was despite him publicly declaring that he had stepped away from the IGADF upon his appointment as NACC Commissioner.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-09-28 |title=Anti-corruption chief kept consulting role after saying he had resigned |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-29/nacc-chief-defence-consulting/105821158 |access-date=2026-03-27 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref> It later transpired that he was warned upon joining the NACC that he should refrain from continuing or taking new formal work for the IGADF and had been specifically asked to develop a "robust conflict of interest management plan" by the then Attorney General Mark Dreyfus.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2026-02-05 |title=Former attorney-general warned anti-corruption chief over conflicts |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-06/mark-dreyfus-warned-anti-corruption-chief-to-avoid-conflicts/106311478 |access-date=2026-03-27 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref> In response to the growing backlash, the Inspector of the NACC authorised a second investigation into potential maladministration or officer misconduct.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Olivia |last=Caisley |date=2026-02-09 |title=Independent inquiry launched into NACC chief's handling of defence ties |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-09/independent-inquiry-launched-into-nacc-chief-defence-ties/106320954 |access-date=2026-03-27 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref>
Brereton will resign from the NACC on 5 July 2026, saying "The ongoing focus on matters relating to me personally rather than the commission's work is drawing attention away from the commission's core purpose of strengthening integrity in the Commonwealth public sector, which has always been my primary focus as commissioner".<ref>{{cite news |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=25 May 2026 |date=25 May 2026 |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/national-anti-corruption-commission-boss-paul-brereton-resigns-20260525-p600hw.html |title='Can't trust the government to choose their own watchdog': Anti-corruption chief quits |first=Rob |last=Harris}}</ref>
== Honours == <div class="center"> 100x100px 96x96px 100x100px 96x96px<ref>{{cite web |title=If we fail to prosecute war crimes, the law is a 'dead letter,' says inquiry judge |url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/if-we-fail-to-prosecute-war-crimes-the-law-is-a-dead-letter-says-inquiry-judge-20220617-p5auk8.html |website=The Age|date=17 June 2022 }}</ref> </div>
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto;" |- |100x100px |Member of the Order of Australia |- |96x96px |Reserve Force Decoration (with Federation Star) |- |100x100px |Australian Defence Medal |- |96x96px |Australian Cadet Forces Service Medal |- |}
Brereton was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2010 Queen's Birthday Honours for his "exceptional service to the Australian Army".<ref name=honour-member-oa>[https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1142763 BRERETON, Paul Le Gay]. ''It's an Honour''. "For exceptional service to the Australian Army as the Chief of Staff Headquarters 5th Brigade, Assistant Chief of Staff, Land Headquarters and as Commander 5th Brigade."</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Brereton, Paul}} Category:1957 births Category:Australian generals Category:Judges of the Supreme Court of New South Wales Category:Living people Category:Members of the Order of Australia Category:People educated at Knox Grammar School Category:Sydney Law School alumni Category:Military personnel from New South Wales