Under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2003, any person can make disclosure if they believe something is wrong with the way a public authority, public officer or public sector contractor is acting, or may be going to act, which is of public interest.
This might involve:
- improper conduct
- an offence under State laws (including corruption)
- administration matters
- irregular or unauthorised use of public resources
- substantial mismanagement of public resources
- conduct that involves a substantial and specific risk of injury, prejudice to public safety or harm to the environment.
The Public Interest Disclosure Act 2003 outlines what may be disclosed, who it must be disclosed to, and also provides for the protection of people who make a public interest disclosure (PID), as well as those who may be subject of a disclosure.
The code of conduct and intregrity must be complied with by any person to whom a disclosure is made under this Act.
A public interest disclosure must always be related to a public sector, local government or public university function. It does not apply to information that someone has, or is, engaging in criminal behaviour unconnected to their employment.
The Department of Corrective Services recommends you seek advice from the Department's public interest disclosure officer or the Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Standards, before making a disclosure.
The Act can be accessed via the State Law Publisher website: www.slp.wa.gov.au/statutes/swans.nsf or at the Battye Library of WA, Perth Cultural Centre, Perth.
For more information, or to make a disclosure relating to a Department of Corrective Services employee, contact:
Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Standards
17th Floor, St Martin's Tower
44 St Georges Terrace
PERTH WA 6000
Email: pssc@opssc.wa.gov.au
Website: www.opssc.wa.gov.au/pid
Telephone: (08) 9260 6600
Toll free: 1800 676 607
Public Interest Disclosure Officer
Department of Corrective Services
Durack Centre
263 Adelaide Terrace
PERTH WA 6000
Email: iiu@correctiveservices.wa.gov.au
Facsimile: (08) 9225 8911
Secure telephone: (08) 9225 8999
Prisoners and detainees can request the forms by using the yellow envelopes available in their units.
Completed forms must be returned in the private envelopes.
