Two former anti-corruption commissioners have described the New South Wales Premier's bill to radically overhaul the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) as "scandalous", "shameful" and a severely damaging blow to the fight against corruption.

Key points: ICAC would have three commissioners instead of one under proposed changes

ICAC would have three commissioners instead of one under proposed changes Former commissioner David Ipp says changes would weaken ICAC's powers

Former commissioner David Ipp says changes would weaken ICAC's powers NSW Opposition accuses Government of "seeking revenge" after previous inquiry forced Liberal MPs to resign

The bill, unveiled yesterday, will force the current commissioner Megan Latham to reapply for her own job and would restructure the ICAC so it has three commissioners, with two having to agree before a public inquiry can be held.

Former commissioner David Ipp said it would weaken the ICAC and water down its powers and seems designed to get rid of Ms Latham because she had been too independent.

"I think it is a scandalous move," he told the ABC.

"It's outrageous and shameful. This is a means of dampening down the ICAC and removing its powers.

"I don't accept for one moment it makes a stronger ICAC. I think it will be much weaker and will make it much more difficult to operate.

"There will be an inability for it to make quick, strong decisions and there's simply no need for it, the ICAC has never been stronger."

Another former ICAC chief, Anthony Whealy, said it would effectively sack the commissioner in the middle of her tenure.

"It's absolutely stunning that this has happened and there seems to be no justification for it whatsoever," he told the ABC.

"I think it's very wrong and very harmful and should be very damaging to the Baird Government.

"It's the worst attack on the fight against corruption that I have encountered in my career."

Ms Latham herself issued an extraordinary statement shortly after the bill was unveiled, accusing the Premier of an "unprecedented attack" on the agency's independence and said the changes create a "fundamentally weaker organisation".

"By significantly altering the structure and governance of the commission, the bill represents an unprecedented attack on the independence and effectiveness of the commission as a leading anti corruption agency," she warned.

Changes would 'not at all' weaken ICAC, Premier argues

However, Mr Baird said was common practice for a staff member like Ms Latham to reapply for their position during an organisational restructure.

"That's an incredibly normal thing in any restructure, in any organisation, anywhere," he said.

"Obviously, we'd be very happy for the commissioner to apply.

"The argument, of course, is you want the best possible person as you would in any restructure like this."

He added the structural change would "not at all" weaken the powers of the ICAC, and would instead allow for "additional safeguards".

"When you have those sort of powers...the question is, 'do you have those appropriate safeguards?' and really these are just additional protections on the use of those powers," he said.

Opposition accuses Baird of seeking revenge

Opposition leader Luke Foley accused the Premier of seeking revenge for Ms Latham's oversight of an investigation into the Liberal Party donations scandal before the 2011 state election.

Former ICAC chief David Ipp said the changes would weaken the corruption body. ( ABC TV )

"This is a tawdry and disgraceful exercise to sack the ICAC commissioner," he said.

"The Government is railroading Ms Latham out of a job because she inquired into corruption in the ranks of the Liberal Party."

Mr Baird said Labor initially supported the committee recommendations, but had now found a "political angle" to use the situation to its favour.

"We are implementing the recommendations of a bipartisan committee that was unanimous in its recommendation, that was supported by Labor," he said.

"They've conveniently forgot that they were the ones that actually supported this."

Mr Whealy, who is also a retired NSW Supreme Court judge, told the ABC he believed the public perception would be that it is some sort of payback for Ms Latham doing her job.

"The attack on the sitting commissioner and her independence and the watering down of her powers and control of her own organisation are really scandalous," he said.

"The legislation effectively strips full power away from the chief commissioner and appoints two other commissioners who could be, for all we know, government stooges who would effectively stymie the operation of the ICAC."

"I mean if it happened in a third world country we would say these are the actions of a corrupt government.

"Now I don't think Mr Baird's corrupt but I think the perception that he's paying her back for some sort of attack on the Liberal Party will be very apparent to the community."

Asked if he shared that perception, he said: "I don't see how else you could find any justification for it. It seems to me there's always going to be the perception that it's a political move, that it's the politicisation of the independence of the ICAC and that's very bad in the fight against corruption."

Mr Ipp has also questioned the motives behind the bill.

"I can't say it's payback but it does seem to be an attempt to get rid of Megan Latham because she's been too successful and too independent. There's a strong sense in all of this that politicians don't like to be investigated and want to take steps to prevent being as easy as it has been to investigate them," he said.

"This has come about after 11 Members of Parliament have been forced to resign and after the Obeid inquiry and Doyles Creek inquiry when corruption involving many, many millions of dollars was uncovered.

"Inquiries of this kind have not taken place in ICAC for many years, it's become extremely strong and one can only see this as an attempt to protect politicians."

Both former commissioners have appealed to Mr Baird to abandon the bill.