Three-quarters of Australian voters realise corruption is not limited to unions.

Despite the Federal Government’s rabid intention to rid the union movement of bad apples, a recent poll shows most Australians do not agree that dodginess is unique to the trades.

The independent online survey conducted by Essential Media (commissioned by the Australian Council of Trade Unions) found just 23 per cent of voters believe unions are more corrupt than other organisations like government bodies, political parties, and businesses.

The survey found 43 per cent of Liberal and Nationals voters thought unions were more corrupt, something just 11 per cent of Labor voters agreed with.

Two-thirds of Labor supporters believe that either the corruption problem is equal between unions, private companies and the public sector, or that union corruption not as bad.

While it is easy to apply the political leanings of respondents to the reading of their responses, one of the most telling stats came from an entirely non-partisan question.

The survey found that 8 in 10 voters across the political spectrum want a national body dedicated to rooting out all corruption to be created.

It is just the latest in an unending stream of calls for a federal corruption court, which neither of Australia’s major parties have been in any way inclined to establish.

If federal law-makers need inspiration, many suggest they should look at the well established state-based courts like the New South Wales or South Australian Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), Queensland or Western Australia’s Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC), or Victoria’s Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC).

ACTU Secretary Dave Oliver has told Fairfax reporters that union corruption certainly exists, but the survey results show the government should cast a wider net.

“Whether you look at sport, corporate Australia, politics, government or NGOs, there are examples of corrupt behaviour,” he said.

“We need a net to catch corruption, not a spear, because the problem is wider than unions, business or any single section of the community - it exists everywhere and should be stamped out wherever it hides.”

“Any policy that has a specific section of society as its target, whether that is unions, politics, sport or corporate Australia – will be insufficient and motivated by a political agenda, not a policy agenda.”