ACT integrity commissioner Dennis Cowdroy resigns as Canberra's corruption watchdog head

Dennis Cowdroy will leave the job in the new year, ACT Legislative Assembly speaker Joy Burch announced on Wednesday.

He has not provided a reason for his sudden departure.

Mr Cowdroy was appointed to the new role in May 2019 after the government's top pick was scuttled when the Canberra Liberals refused to support him.

"The outgoing integrity commissioner has done a marvellous job of establishing the commission, which included setting up permanent offices and recruiting a CEO and staff to the commission," Ms Burch said.

The newly minted commission started operating on December 1 last year, receiving more than 100 corruption complaints since.

The commission is yet to release any public reports or findings, or disclose any investigations.

"With the work well underway and experienced and capable staff having been recruited, the Hon Cowdroy AO QC has done an exceptional job in establishing the Commission and we thank him for this work," Ms Burch said.

Mr Cowdroy was a justice of the Federal Court of Australia, served as an additional judge of the ACT's Supreme Court and was a Land and Environment Court judge.

He also served in the Navy reserve as a captain, as well as on the Defence Force discipline appeal tribunal, and was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his services to the Returned and Services League of Australia.

The ACT Integrity Commission in August moved into its new fit-for-purpose offices in Kingston.

"I think it is timely a successor is appointed so that the new Commissioner can maintain the momentum of the operations of the commission," Mr Cowdroy said.

His appointment came six weeks after The Canberra Times revealed the previous pick for the job, Terence Higgins, had been cast aside because of concerns about his previous political affiliations.

Mr Higgins was the inaugural ACT Labor branch president in the 1970s and represented Gough Whitlam when he faced criminal charges in relation to the Khemlani loans affair, although he quit the party in 1990 ahead of his appointment to the bench.

The speaker will now appoint an acting commissioner for a period up to six months to allow the work of the commission to continue, while beginning recruitment for the next integrity commissioner.

"I thank the outgoing Commissioner for his role in establishing the Commission and beginning the important work of investigating and oversighting allegations of corruption and helping educate the community on the important work of the commission," Ms Burch said.

"I wish him well with his future endeavours."