Public Interest Disclosures

The purpose of the Public Interest Disclosures Act 2012 is to encourage and facilitate the making of disclosures of improper conduct and detrimental action by public officers and public bodies. It does so by providing certain protections for people who make a disclosure, or those who may suffer detrimental action in reprisal for making a disclosure. An essential component of this protection is to ensure that information connected to a public interest disclosure, including the identity of a discloser and the contents of that disclosure, are kept strictly confidential.

Examples of what is considered improper conduct include:

taking or offering bribes
dishonestly using influence
committing fraud, theft or embezzlement
misusing information or material acquired at work
conspiring or attempting to engage in the above Corrupt activity
misuse of power to harm, oppress or disadvantage a person
failure to disclose a conflict of interest

Corruption can occur through:

improper or unlawful actions by public sector staff or agencies
inactions of public sector staff or agencies
actions of private individuals who try to improperly influence public sector functions or decisions.

Misconduct in public office

Misconduct in public office is broadly defined. It can be any conduct by a public sector employee which is unlawful or fails to meet the ethical or professional standards required in the performance of duties or the exercise of powers entrusted to them.

Disclosures about a Councillor or Councillors cannot be made to the Public Interest Disclosure Coordinator or Public Interest Disclosure Officer, and should be made directly to IBAC.

Examples of misconduct in public office might include:

misuse of power to harm, oppress or disadvantage a person
failure to disclose a conflict of interest

These two videos demonstrate examples of misconduct and disclosure

Council's Public Interest Disclosure Procedure

Refer to Council's Public Interest Disclosure Procedure(PDF, 906KB) for details.

Your contacts

Public Interest Disclosure Coordinator: Blaga Naumoski, Director Governance, Communications and Community Safety on 9433 3110 or email Blaga.Naumoski@nillumbik.vic.gov.au

Public Interest Disclosure Officer: Emma Christensen, Governance Coordinator on 9433 3729 or email Emma.Christensen@nillumbik.vic.gov.au

For further information

Visit the Independent Broad-based Anti Corruption Commission (IBAC) website.

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