Australia’s former top cop and a barrister have been appointed as acting commissioners of Queensland’s corruption watchdog.

The state’s government has named former Australian Federal Police commissioner Mick Keelty and barrister Sydney Williams QC as part-time acting commissioners on the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC).

Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie says they will fill recent vacancies and assist acting chairman Dr Ken Levy while the CMC goes through a period of change.

“Mick Keelty and Sydney Williams’ credentials and experience are impeccable,” Mr Bleijie said in a statement on Thursday.

“Mick Keelty’s integrity and professionalism is known worldwide.

“Sydney Williams QC is one of Queensland’s most experienced barristers.”

The appointments come at a time when Dr Levy is being intensely scrutinised over his alleged contact with the government before he wrote an opinion piece praising its anti-bikie laws.

He was accused of pro-government bias and members of the Parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Committee (PCMC), which oversees the CMC, called for his resignation.

The Liberal National Party government then sacked the PCMC, accusing it of bias itself, against Mr Levy.

Some PCMC members and Dr Levy are still being investigated by the new Select Ethics Committee.