Accountability advocates are pushing for changes to make the watchdog's probes more public, calling it a "golden opportunity" to restore public confidence following the integrity election.

The details of the federal government's National Anti-Corruption Commission were released last month but the so-called teal crossbenchers and integrity experts voiced concerns over the "high bar" set for public hearings.

Under the proposed legislation, public hearings can only be held in "exceptional circumstances" and when it's in the public interest.

But more than a third of Australians want public hearings held in "unlimited" circumstances, polling released by progressive think tank The Australia Institute on Wednesday reveals.

An additional 32 per cent of the 1000 polled indicated they would support changes to hold hearings when they are in the public interest, removing the "exceptional circumstances" threshold.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus is expected to reaffirm his commitment to listen to "other views" and is "keenly interested" in what his parliamentary colleagues have to say in a speech to the National Press Club on Wednesday.

Critics of the "exceptional circumstances" threshold, which include a group of retired, eminent judges, believe it could be challenged and abused by those being investigated for potential misconduct.

Mr Dreyfus is expected to tell the press club audience the government's got the right balance and he hopes it will attract "support across the Parliament".

"But I'm prepared to listen to other views, because I want the Parliament to enact the best possible anti-corruption commission," Mr Dreyfus will say.

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Earlier this month, the Attorney-General defended the watchdog's higher bar for public hearings, saying there were equally good reasons to hold hearings in private and in the public.

"At the end, if there's corruption discovered, the commission's going to report in public and that's the most important thing," Mr Dreyfus told the ABC.

Australia Institute democracy and accountability director Bill Browne said his research showed fewer than one in five Australians supported the "exceptional circumstances" restriction on public hearings.

He added it was broadly supported by voters across the political spectrum and showed the government should deliver fully on its promise.

"With this year's election branded the 'integrity election', Australians are going to have high expectations for the National Anti-Corruption Commission, and that includes public hearings that shine a light on potential wrongdoing at all levels," Mr Browne said.

"This Parliament has a golden opportunity: an integrity super-majority in both houses. It is incumbent on the Attorney-General to restore confidence in our democracy by legislating the most robust federal ICAC he can.

"The NACC should not be restrained before it even gets started, with a vague limitation that will give those under investigation an opportunity to delay the Commission through court action.

"If a public hearing is in the public interest, it should take place - regardless of whether the circumstances are exceptional."