Also included will be former Queensland integrity commissioners David Solomon and Gary Crooke and retired Supreme Court judge George Fryberg. Professor A.J. Brown, from Griffith University's Centre for Governance and Public Policy, will also speak, along with University of Queensland electoral law expert Graeme Orr. Professor Brown said the event would be timely, given the state election campaign would be ramping up – if not in full throttle – when it was held at Customs House on February 9. "There's been plenty of controversy over the future of Queensland's public integrity systems and, in fact, there's plenty of controversy and plenty of policy questions over whether integrity and anti-corruption systems right across Australia are really up to scratch to deal with the modern age," he said. "So, especially in the light of the ICAC inquiries in New South Wales and the state of the integrity system in Queensland, this is a really good time to take stock and have a look at whether Queensland's integrity systems are up to scratch."

The CCC, which this year emerged from the Crime and Misconduct Commission, has been the centre of controversy during much of the Newman government's first term. Premier Campbell Newman and Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie had accused opponents of using the then-CMC for political purposes, while the Labor Opposition has blasted the process of selecting the CCC chair. Professor Brown said the adequacy of Queensland's corruption watchdog was "not just a peripheral issue" and should be front and centre in next year's state campaign. "It's a matter of public confidence," he said. "I don't think there's enough evidence about whether one system works better than the other yet, to know whether (the change to the CCC) is a forward step or a backwards step.

"The definition of corrupt conduct in Queensland has now been tightened up and made slightly narrower than it was before. "Similarly, I think there are good questions to ask about whether that means there are types of cases that would have been in the public interest for the CCC to at least have the discretion to look at before, which it no longer does. "That's worth a lot of public debate and scrutiny." February's conference will be open to the public, Professor Brown said, but there would be a $250-$330 registration fee. "I think it will be a very good opportunity to hear from a range of experts and stakeholders – and, hopefully, the government and the opposition – about what's gone on in NSW, why it's relevant in Queensland and what the state of Queensland's integrity system is," he said.

"I think sometimes the controversies have been a bit out of proportion to the reality of the changes, so it's an important opportunity to take stock." Organisers said representatives from both sides of state politics had been invited to speak. Mr Bleijie has declined his invitation to attend the conference, as have his cabinet colleagues Jeff Seeney, Ian Walker and Andrew Cripps, along with Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee chairman Ian Berry. An invitation has not yet been extended to Mr Newman, but organisers said one would be forthcoming. A spokesman for the Labor opposition confirmed it would accept the invitation.

"We'll be there," he said. Tickets were available from the conference website. CORRECTION: A previous version of this story stated the conference was being organised by the Australia Institute. While the think tank is supporting the event, it is being organised by Queensland lawyers Sean Reidy, Alex McKean and Sean Ryan with the assistance of the Australia Institute's Mark Ogge.