Legislation and standards

Public Interest Disclosure Act

We are the oversight agency for the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2010 (the PID Act). 

The main objects of the PID Act are:

• promote the public interest by facilitating public interest disclosures of wrongdoing in the public sector; and
• ensure that public interest disclosures are properly assessed and, when appropriate, properly investigated and dealt with; and
• ensure that appropriate consideration is given to the interests of persons who are the subject of a public interest disclosure; and
• afford protection from reprisals to persons making public interest disclosures.

Public Interest Disclosure standards

The Public Interest Disclosure standards, issued by the Ombudsman under section 60 of the PID Act detail the actions public entities must take when preparing for and responding to a public interest disclosure. These standards are:

• Public Interest Disclosure Standard No. 1/2019 – Public Interest Disclosure Management Program  (PDF168.4KB)
• Public Interest Disclosure Standard No. 2/2019 – Assessing, Investigating and Dealing with Public Interest Disclosures (PDF257.2KB) 
• Public Interest Disclosure Standard No. 3/2019 – Public Interest Disclosure Data Recording and Reporting (PDF117.8KB) 

Learn more about Public interest disclosures.