AUSTRALIA'S corruption body is borrowing staff and equipment from the agencies it oversees to run investigations, with the number of customs officers being investigated exceeding its entire workforce.

The Labor MP Melissa Parke and the former Commonwealth ombudsman Allan Asher are concerned about resourcing for the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity and have called for the federal government to consider a broad-based national anti-corruption body.

Concerned ... Melissa Parke . Credit:Steve Ferrier

Their comments come as Fairfax Media can also reveal:

A woman who got a job at customs after a Sydney crime boss's wife gave her a reference has been suspended after allegedly tipping off the crime figure that police knew of his plans to flee Australia on a false passport.