What are an agency’s public interest disclosure obligations?
Chief executive officers of public sector entities have obligations under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2010 to ensure that:
- public officers of the entity who make Public Interest Disclosures (PIDs) are given appropriate support
- public officers are offered protection from reprisals
- the entity has a management program for PIDs, in accordance with the Public Interest Disclosure standards
- PIDs made to the entity are properly assessed and investigated
- appropriate action is taken in relation to any wrongdoing that is the subject of a PID.
As the oversight entity under the Public Interest Disclosure Act, the Office of the Queensland Ombudsman has made standards about the way in which agencies are to deal with PIDs.
The following information and advice will assist entities to ensure they meet their obligations under the Public Interest Disclosure Act and the Public Interest Disclosure standards.
Self-Assessment audit
In 2021, the Office carried out the second PID Self-Assessment audit, to:
- enable agencies to self-assess their compliance with the PID Act and PID Standards
- collect data on compliance with the PID Act and PID Standards in accordance with the Office of the Queensland Ombudsman’s monitoring and review functions under the PID Act
- identify training needs, support and resource gaps which the Office may address in accordance with its educational and advisory role.
The results of the Self-Assessment audit are detailed in the Public interest disclosures oversight report section of our Annual report 2020-21.