How to evaluate your public interest disclosure procedure
The Public Interest Disclosure Act 2010 (PID Act) and the Queensland Ombudsman’s Public Interest Disclosure standards set out the requirements for public sector entities to prepare for and respond to a PID.
The PID Act requires an entity’s chief executive to establish reasonable procedures for dealing with PIDs and ensure the procedures are published on a website readily accessible to the public.
We have developed a self-assessment checklist (PDF 182.8KB) to enable you to review your entity’s PID policy and identify areas for improvement.
Public Interest Disclosure procedure framework
The purpose of the PID Act is to facilitate the disclosure, in the public interest, of information about wrongdoing in the public sector and to provide protection for those who make disclosures.
The objects of the PID Act are:
- To promote the public interest by facilitating public interest disclosure of wrongdoing in the public sector
- To ensure that PIDs are properly assessed and, when appropriate, properly investigated and dealt with
- To ensure that appropriate consideration is given to the interests of persons who are the subject of a PID
- To afford protection form reprisals to persons making PIDs.
In accordance with section 28(1) of the PID Act, chief executive officers of public sector entities must establish reasonable procedures to ensure that:
- public officers who make public interest disclosures (PIDs) are given appropriate support
- PIDs are properly assessed and dealt with
- appropriate action is taken in relation to wrongdoing that is the subject of a PID
- a PID management plan consistent with the PID standards is developed and implemented
- public officers are offered protection from reprisal.
The Queensland Ombudsman has developed three PID standards which public entities must comply with when preparing for and responding to a PID. These standards are: