Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government appointed Kylie Kilgour to the position of Acting Commissioner of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) even though her husband, Tom Bentley, was a long-term Labor Party employee and factional player, as per the below video.

It raises many questions with 3 key ones being:

1. Would Kylie Kilgour be prepared to investigate her husband or the Labor Party government he worked for from 2007 to 2013?
2. Has Kylie Kilgour declared her conflict of interest, and if so, why was she still appointed Deputy NACC Commissioner and now Acting NACC Commissioner?
3. Has Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared the conflict of interest? And if so, why did the Labor Party still appoint Kylie Kilgour?

I wrote about Kylie Kilgour’s unsuitability to be the NACC Commissioner a couple of weeks ago and mentioned the fact that her husband, Tom Bentley, had worked for former Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

But after more research it turns out Tom Bentley’s Labor Party links go a lot further and make Kylie Kilgour’s appointment to the NACC even more scandalous.

There is no chance whatsoever that Kylie Kilgour would ever investigate serious corruption during the Julia Gillard – Kevin Rudd years given it could possibly impact on and/or involve her husband, Tom Bentley.

One example of the Labor Party corruption during that period is: From 2007 to 2011 the Kevin Rudd / Julia Gillard governments funnelled $20 million of government money to the Unions:

“And in a neat case of fiscal symmetry, $20 million represents the same amount that unions donated to the Labor Party since 2007 to help bankroll election campaigns. A Government spokesman last night defended the payments.” (Click here to read more)

It makes a powerful prima facie case of fraud, theft and money laundering of $20 million with the decision makers of the crimes being in Kevin Rudd’s and Julia Gillard’s offices during that period. Kylie Kilgour’s husband, Tom Bentley, would likely be a witness if not one of the people who orchestrated the crimes.

Kylie Kilgour’s appointment to the NACC was clearly designed to cover up any corruption allegations that occurred during the Prime Ministership of Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd from 2007 until 2013, when current Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was also a member of the Labor Party government.

There is a video below of Tom Bentley involved in the Labor Party preselection dispute over Kimberly Kitching in 2016, but before watching that, let’s look at Tom Bentley’s Labor Party links.

In 2006 The Age reported:

ONE of Britain’s most prominent progressive thinkers has been hired as a key adviser to Premier Steve Bracks.

Tom Bentley, director of the British centre-left Demos think tank, will take up a post in September as executive director for policy and cabinet in the Department of Premier and Cabinet, with responsibility for strategic advice to the Premier.

He is likely to play an important role in shaping Labor’s ideas for a third term agenda, if it is re-elected in November.

Mr Bentley, 33, has run Demos for seven years, after working as an adviser to David Blunkett, then education secretary in the Blair Government.

and:

Mr Bentley is moving to Melbourne partly for personal reasons: his wife, Kylie Kilgour, is an Australian lawyer and the pair have long wanted to bring up their two daughters, aged five and two, in Australia. (Click here to read more)

Victorian Premier Steve Bracks retired from politics in 2007, and Tom Bentley was employed by Julia Gillard.

The SMH reported in 2011:

In the Prime Minister’s office this is overseen by Hubbard, along with the director of the strategy unit, former Victorian Labor state secretary Nick Reece, and the new director of the communications unit and former Tony Blair adviser John McTernan. Medium and longer-term strategy is the job of deputy chief of staff Tom Bentley, a long-time Gillard staffer.

In crises, either Hubbard or Bentley take charge, with the other continuing to manage regular business, to make sure the office keeps running smoothly rather than lurching from one issue to another.

In sitting weeks the Treasurer, Wayne Swan, the manager of government business in the House of Representatives, Anthony Albanese, and the manager of government business in the Senate, Joe Ludwig, join in the daily strategy sessions. (Click here to read more)

Julia Gillard was Deputy Prime Minister from the 3rd of December 2007 until the 24th of June 2010 and Prime Minister for 3 years from the 24th of June 2010 to the 27th of June 2013. Tom Bentley worked for Julia Gillard for that whole period.

So, current Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, in parliament sitting weeks, for 3 years, sat in daily strategy sessions with Tom Bentley. And for another 3 years they worked in parliament together, both working for the Labor Party.

How well do you think Anthony Albanese and Tom Bentley know each other? Very well, I suspect. And how many times did Anthony Albanese meet Kylie Kilgour before her appointment to the NACC?

As I previously reported, “Kylie Kilgour is married to Tom Bentley, who is well-known for his extensive background in Australian politics, previously serving as a long-time deputy chief of staff to former Prime Minister Julia Gillard between 2007 and 2013“. (Click here to read more)

In the below ABC Lateline video, published on the 27th of October 2016, about Labor’s appointment of Kimberley Kitching to the Senate, Tom Bentley is quoted at the beginning and end as a Labor member critical of the process followed for the appointment.

From the video transcript:

TOM BENTLEY, OPEN LABOR SPOKESMAN: I think there was quite a lot of dismay just about the fact that the decision took place behind closed doors.

It wasn’t clear who the candidates were until after the result and that there wasn’t any of this wider discussion and democratic imput.

and:

TOM BENTLEY: It’s very damaging. It’s damaging for wider representation of the party, but it also undermines the commitment and the morale of many members and activists.

DAVID LIPSON (Journalist): Labor members who want voting powers for the rank and file in Senate pre-elections hope the latest contest will be the catalyst for change at state conference in November.

TOM BENTLEY: There is some dismay when that kind of event takes place, but it also clearly reinforces many people’s determination to see reform take place. (Click here to read the full transcript)

The video shows Tom Bentley was an active player in Labor Party politics long after he stopped working for Julia Gillard.

Are the public meant to believe there were no other lawyers, barristers or judges who could have been employed by the NACC other than Tom Bentley’s wife Kylie Kilgour?

Anyone with strong political links to any political party should be banned from working at the NACC.

It says on the NACC website:

“Ms Kylie Kilgour is Acting Commissioner of the National Anti-Corruption Commission from 6 July 2026 to 5 October 2026 inclusive.” (Click here to see on the NACC website)

That means we should have a new NACC Commissioner on Monday (5/10/26), and possibly another Deputy NACC Commissioner, unless the time frame for making the appointments is extended.

Support Independent Media

I’m an independent journalist, 100% crowdfunded by readers who donate each month. That support makes it possible for me to publish articles and videos.

If you find my reporting of value and you’re not already a monthly supporter, please consider becoming one. Click here to see all the donation options.

Amounts from $3 to $100 a month — or whatever suits your budget — supports the work I do as independent journalist. There’s no lock-in. You can cancel or adjust anytime.

A one-off donation or sharing my videos and articles also helps. Independent reporting only lasts if enough people support it.

Thank you.

Please use Facebook, “X”, email and the other buttons below and help promote this article.

Kangaroo Court of Australia is independent media and is 100% crowdfunded by readers like yourself so please support on the links below. Click on the PayPal button below to donate or for other donation options click here to go to the Donations page.

Thank you for your support.

For the KCA t-shirt shop click here.

For the Fugitive Clothing t-shirt shop click here

Join the free email subscription below and you will be notified immediately I publish new articles which is normally twice a week.