Maybe privatise public authority (9)
I believe the answer is:
outsource
'maybe privatise' is the definition.
I know nothing about this answer so I cannot judge whether this works.
'public authority' is the wordplay.
'public' becomes 'out' (out can mean released to the public).
'authority' becomes 'source' (authority can mean a source for a claim).
'out'+'source'='OUTSOURCE'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for outsource that I've seen before include "for umpire?" , "get someone independent to do it" , "Pay someone else to do" , "Use external supplier" , "Obtain goods from external supplier" .)