Under our guiding legislation, corrupt conduct is defined as conduct that:
- involves or affects a current, or former, ACT public official or public sector entity
- relates to certain aspects of ACT public administration
- relates to, involves, or affects ACT Government contractors, employees of a contractor, or volunteers exercising a function of a public sector entity
- involves criminal offences or actions that could have serious disciplinary or employment consequences for a public official
- is a significant breach of public trust, abuse or misuse of an official position.
We must prioritise reports of serious or systemic corrupt conduct when deciding which matters to investigate.
Serious corrupt conduct is conduct that is likely to threaten public confidence in the integrity of government or public administration in the ACT.
Systemic corrupt conduct is a pattern of conduct in one or more ACT public sector entities.
When we receive a report, we will assess it to determine if there is a reasonable suspicion that corrupt conduct has occurred. If so, we then assess if it meets the threshold of being serious or systemic corrupt conduct. Based on our assessment, we will either:
- dismiss it (for example: it does not relate to the types of conduct listed above)
- refer it (for example: to a relevant authority that the concern better relates to)
- investigate it (as a corruption report or a public interest disclosure).
If you have a reasonable suspicion that an ACT public official or public sector entity has engaged in corrupt conduct, then the matter should be reported to us. Even if you think the matter has already been reported to us or another entity, we encourage you to submit your own report.
It is important that all reasonable suspicions of corrupt conduct in the ACT are reported to us.
This is essential to help us identify and expose any corruption happening in the ACT, to stop it from continuing or happening again.
Mandatory reporting
The head of ACT public sector entities and ACT Senior Executives have mandatory reporting obligations. If they have reasonable grounds to suspect serious or systemic corrupt conduct, then they must submit a notification to us.
Each directorate or agency is required to appoint an individual as their Senior Executive Responsible for Business Integrity Risk (SERBIR) who also have mandatory reporting obligations under the Integrity Commission Act 2018. ACT Government employees can seek advice from, and report suspicions of corruption to, their designated SERBIR.
As with all other ACT Senior Executives, if the SERBIR has reasonable grounds to suspect serious or systemic corrupt conduct, then they must submit a notification to us.
Details of appointed SERBIRs are published and maintained by the Professional Standards Unit (ACT Government employee access only).