Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013
The Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 (the Act) is a legislative scheme for the reporting and investigation of allegations of serious wrongdoing in the Commonwealth public sector.
The objectives of the Act are to:
- promote the integrity and accountability of the Commonwealth public sector
- encourage and facilitate the making of public interest disclosures by public officials
- ensure that public officials who make public interest disclosures are supported and protected from adverse consequences relating to the disclosures
- ensure that disclosures by public officials are properly investigated and dealt with.
See our public interest disclosure procedures.
Internal PIDs
An internal PID is a disclosure:
- by a current or former public official
- of information that tends to show ‘disclosable conduct’
- made to an Authorised Officer (AO) or your supervisor.
Information on this page applies to internal PIDs only. Please refer to the Commonwealth Ombudsman’s website for more information on other types of PIDs, such as:
- emergency disclosure
- external disclosure
- legal practitioner disclosure.
Disclosable conduct
Disclosable conduct is defined in section 29 of the Act and includes conduct that:
- contravenes a law
- is corrupt
- wastes public funds
- abuses public trust
- unreasonably endangers health, safety and/or the environment
- could, if proved, give reasonable grounds for disciplinary action.
Who you can make a disclosure to
Disclosures can be made to your supervisor (if you work for the agency) or an AO at the Office of the Inspector-General of Aged Care, if the conduct relates to the Office of the Inspector-General of Aged Care.
How to make a disclosure
You can make a disclosure to us by either:
- writing to our AOs
- emailing us; we will forward your email to the most appropriate AO.
Write the following on your subject line or envelope:
‘Confidential – IGAC PID – For the attention of [insert AO name, if known], Authorised Officer’
Disclosure to the Commonwealth Ombudsman
If you are concerned about making a disclosure to us, you can make a disclosure to the Commonwealth Ombudsman.
What information to include
You may wish to use our notification form, to ensure you include as much detail as possible.
In general, to help us to assess and properly investigate your PID, you should include:
- your name and contact details, unless you want to be anonymous
- details of the alleged wrongdoing
- who committed the alleged wrongdoing
- when and where the alleged wrongdoing occurred
- relevant events surrounding the issue
- if you did anything in response to the wrongdoing
- others who know about the wrongdoing and have allowed it to continue
- if you’re concerned about possible reprisals as a result of making your disclosure
- any supporting documentation and/or any witnesses.
Further information
Visit the Commonwealth Ombudsman’s website or contact our AOs for more information.
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