Riley O’Keeffe

Maintaining integrity within the public sector is an integral component of responsible and good government. Theories of deviance suggest that as long as there are rules, there will be rule-breakers. Without proper or robust accountability mechanisms, public trust in government institutions would decline. Serious wrongdoing within the public sector, such as corruption, fraud or maladministration, is not within the public interest. Therefore, the inclination of public sector employees to speak up against serious wrongdoing is of vital importance in maintaining integrity within the public sector. The protections available for public sector whistleblowers must be strong enough to protect them from any possible detriment that may follow as a result of speaking up.

Public sector whistleblowing, also referred to as making a Public Interest Disclosure (‘PID’), is the action of identifying and reporting serious wrongdoing that affects the public sector. The Public Interest Disclosures Act 2022 (NSW) (‘new PID Act’) is one tool that can be used to ensure accountability and integrity are maintained within the public sector.

Catherine Williams

Upwards of $55 billion has been spent on Commonwealth grants programs since mid-2018, when the current Prime Minister came to power. In that period, there has been a series of findings of maladministration – and worse – by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) in respect of Commonwealth grants programs, giving rise to an urgent need for reform in this area.