Labor's federal anti-corruption commission may be able to investigate private contractors hired by the public service, the new Attorney-General says.
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Mark Dreyfus has also pledged to end political appointments to the human rights commissioner role, as Australia faces a downgrade of its human rights status.
Labor made integrity a central plank of its election campaign, pledging to introduce an anti-corruption watchdog "with teeth" by the end of the year.
In a wide-ranging speech outlining his agenda to the annual Castan Centre for Human Rights Law Conference on Friday, Mr Dreyfus confirmed private contractors hired for work traditionally done by the public service will be under the watchdog's microscope.
"The commission will operate independently from government and will have broad jurisdiction to investigate serious and systemic corruption across the Commonwealth public sector, including parliamentarians and staff, public officials, and contracted service providers," he said
"The commission will be a long overdue addition to our integrity frameworks."
The comments were the strongest indication the watchdog's scope will extend to the private sector, an issue that had remained unclear during the federal election campaign.
Departments' use of private contractors exploded under the former Coalition government, with the public service wracking up a $500 million consultancy bill in just eight months.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has indicated Labor will look to save billions by removing "arbitrary" caps on staff numbers in the public service, and reviewing its use of private contractors.
Mr Dreyfus also flagged an intention to ensure the appointment of human rights commissioners is made at arm's length from politicians, after Australia's A-status was thrown into jeopardy partly over its politicisation of the role.
He warned a B-status listing, placing Australia under Iraq in terms of human rights status, would mean "considerable domestic and international reputational damage".
"It would also limit the ability of the commission to independently engage with international fora, such as the UN Human Rights Council, which restricts access to 'A'-status institutions," he said.
The Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions in April deferred the renewal of Australia's A-status listing, citing the appointment of Lorraine Finlay as human rights commissioner.
Ms Finlay was appointed by former attorney-general Michaelia Cash last year, after publicly calling for Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act to be repealed.
The role was previously held by Tim Wilson, policy director at conservative think tank the Institute for Public Affairs before he became a Liberal MP.
Mr Dreyfus claimed an "absolute" freedom to religious belief will not come at the expense of the rights of people in the LGBTI community.
"This is not a zero-sum game. We can improve the rights of a particular group of Australians while also keeping protections for others intact," he said.
"It can be a difficult job, of course, but nothing that is beyond the ability of a good and careful government ... strengthening our anti-discrimination laws are an opportunity to unite our nation, rather than divide it."
The Attorney-General, while conceding most religious schools do not expel students based on their sexuality or gender identity, pledged to amend the Sex Discrimination Act to prevent schools "from discriminating against students because of who they are".
"The government also wants to ensure that staff in religious schools are protected from discrimination while, at the same time, maintaining the right of religious schools to preference people of their faith in the selection of staff," he said.