Australians will soon be given the chance to help design a national anti-corruption commission.

A parliamentary inquiry has been established to put the proposal for a corruption watchdog under the microscope.

Public hearings will take place later this month.

Labor senator and committee chairwoman Linda White welcomed submissions from individuals, organisations and interest groups.

Independent MP Helen Haines, who’s been instrumental in pushing for the commission, will be deputy chair.

“I have committed to working constructively with the government to ensure the anti-corruption commission model that is implemented is the best it can be,” she told AAP.

“It is significant that a senior member of this committee comes from outside the major parties and it will contribute to the multi-partisanship that I hope will support the NACC.”

The coalition has accused the government of playing politics with the inquiry as an opposition member is usually appointed to the position of deputy chair.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has provided qualified support for the anti-corruption commission but said a final position would be reached after the committee had a chance to examine it.

“That’s the time at which the party room can consider it but we’ve got an in-principle stance,” Mr Dutton said last week.

The body would operate independently of the government and have powers to investigate corrupt conduct across the commonwealth public sector.

Ms Haines is pushing for the bill to be strengthened over concerns the “exceptional circumstances” threshold to hold public hearings is too high.

Independent senator Jacqui Lambie has also raised concerns about the threshold but said she wouldn’t hold up the bill “over two words”.

Public submissions will close on October 14 and the committee will report back by November 10.

– AAP