Federal politicians may be corrupt and a national ICAC is needed to clean out Canberra, according to the counsel assisting the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption, Geoffrey Watson, SC.

"I have seen things that show that federal politicians are not immune from temptation": Geoffrey Watson, SC. Credit:Rob Homer

Mr Watson made his comments at a recent international legal conference In Melbourne where he said: "I have seen things that show that federal politicians are not immune from temptation."

Mr Watson, whose work with the NSW ICAC has exposed serious corruption or impropriety involving NSW Labor and Liberal ministers, also said there was "nothing different in the air in Canberra" when it came to the question of misconduct by public officials.