1. Summary
The Department of Justice (the Department) is committed to the aims and objectives of the Public Interest Disclosures Act 2002 (the Act). The Department recognises the importance of encouraging a proactive reporting culture amongst employees, officers and contractors.
As a values driven organisation, the Department is committed to creating an environment where staff are encouraged to speak up (when something is not right), create a safe place so this can be achieved and to always work ethically.
Our Agency Values influence what we do and how we do it and are intrinsic to creating a supportive reporting culture.
2. Policy statement
The Public Interest Disclosure Act 2002 (the Act) is Tasmania’s whistleblowing legislation. The purpose of the Act is to:
- Encourage and facilitate disclosures of improper conduct by Tasmanian public officers and public bodies
- Protect persons making those disclosures and others from reprisals
- Provide for the disclosed matters to be properly investigated and managed
- Provide all parties involved in the disclosure with natural justice.
The Act gives protections to people blowing the whistle about serious or significant improper conduct in the Tasmanian Public Sector.
This is called making a disclosure under the Act.
The Department is committed to the aims and objectives of the Act and encourages reporting of improper conduct so it can be investigated.
3. Scope
This policy applies to all employees, officers and contractors of the Department.
4. Public Interest Disclosure Procedures
The Department has developed Public Interest Disclosure Procedures which describe in detail the processes and approach it will use to manage whistleblowing.
The Public Interest Disclosure Procedures set out how:
- The Department’s employees, officers or contractors can make disclosures of improper conduct or reprisal action
- Disclosures are assessed
- Disclosures are investigated
- The Department protects disclosures and affords natural justice to those being investigated.
The Department’s Public Interest Disclosure Procedures have been developed in consultation with the Ombudsman.
The Department’s employees, officers and contractors (as defined in the procedures) are required to comply with the obligations described in the Public Interest Disclosure Procedures to manage all reports of improper conduct (i.e. whistleblowing).
5. Related legislation and documents
6. Responsibilities
Employee/Contractor
All employee, officers and contractors of the Department have a responsibility to comply with this policy and the Public Interest Disclosure Procedures.
Output Manager
In addition to their personal responsibilities as employees, Output Managers have a responsibility to ensure that staff in their Output are aware of, and have received adequate training in, the requirements of this policy and the Public Interest Disclosure Procedures.
Deputy Secretaries
The Deputy Secretaries have a collective responsibility for the implementation of the policy and Public Interest Disclosure Procedures with oversight of related activities pursuant to this policy within their respective Divisions.
Secretary
The Secretary (or nominated delegate) has overall responsibility for the policy.