The Integrity Commission is asking Tasmanian public sector organisations about their organisational integrity systems and processes. A new survey, released today, will include all State Government departments and businesses, local government municipal councils, and statutory authorities.
This is the first such broad survey since the Commission’s 2012 review of what was being done by state departments and government businesses to meet their ethical education obligations under the Integrity Commission Act 2009.
Chief Executive Officer, Michael Easton, said that the 2012 survey helped to produce a ‘map’ of ethical practice and awareness in state agencies.
‘It revealed integrity risks arising from gaps in practice, including employees and managers not being aware of their ethical obligations, ineffective monitoring of training and outcomes of disciplinary processes, and lack of outreach to employees and clients who may be vulnerable to exploitation.’
‘The 2012 survey also identified good practices from some agencies, particularly relating to good communication and educational approaches, management of misconduct and the use of risk assessment to reduce the potential for misconduct,’ said Mr Easton.
‘Nearly a decade later, we are repeating the initiative with every public sector organisation in our jurisdiction. We have worked closely with the public sector since 2010 to educate and raise awareness of integrity risks and their management. It is timely to test how far we have come.’
‘The Ethics and Integrity Snapshot will assess a multitude of topics relating to organisational integrity systems and processes. We hope to gain a clear view of what the leaders of these agencies have in place to support integrity; this will enable us to identify areas for development and to work with them to deliver on education opportunities’, said Mr Easton.
Data collected during the project will be analysed and reported back to individual organisations, along with any relevant education recommendations. A public report scheduled for release in 2022 will present a de-identified analysis and overview of the public sector’s response to misconduct prevention and integrity education.
Media release by Michael Easton Chief Executive Officer
Media contact
Kylie Fisk, Acting Director, Misconduct Prevention
kylie.fisk@integrity.tas.gov.au
Ph: 1300 720 289