Whistleblowing

This scheme helps people to report and investigate wrongdoing across the Commonwealth public sector. It provides protections against negative consequences for both current and former public officials who report information that should be disclosed in the public interest. The scheme requires agencies to take action. The emphasis is on disclosures being made and investigated within government.

‘Disclosable conduct’ is conduct that:

• contravenes a law
• perverts the course of justice
• is corrupt
• is based on improper motives
• is unreasonable, unjust, oppressive or negligent
• is an abuse of public trust
• involves fabrication, falsification, plagiarism or deception relating to scientific research, or other misconduct in relation to scientific research, analysis or advice
• results in wastage of public money or public property
• unreasonably endangers health and safety or the environment.

A current or former public official can report behaviour or information that they reasonably believe shows disclosable conduct. Public officials include Commonwealth Government public servants, statutory agencies and office holders, staff of Commonwealth contracted service providers, and persons taken to be public officials.

Current NTC employees can make a disclosure to:

• the NTC Authorised Officer (Executive Leader, Business and Resources)
• their supervisor or manager (who will pass the matter on to the Authorised Officer)
• the NTC Principal Officer (Chief Executive Officer).

Other public officials should contact NTC’s Authorised Officer in the first instance.

Under the PID Act, we must appoint an authorised officer to handle public interest disclosures.

We have appointed an authorised officer who can be contacted by anyone wishing to make a disclosure via email: ggiannini@ntc.gov.au or telephone: +61 3 9236 5038.

Where the disclosure meets the internal disclosure requirements of the PID Act, the authorised officer must investigate the disclosure within 90 days, unless the PID Act allows otherwise.

The PID Act protects public officials and former public officials from negative consequences of disclosing information that, in the public interest, should be disclosed. Protections under the PID Act include immunity from civil, criminal or administrative liability; protection of the discloser's identity, and protection from reprisal. These protections are available even if the discloser's report of wrongdoing turns out to be incorrect or unable to be substantiated, provided the discloser reasonably believes at the time of the disclosure, that the information tends to show disclosable conduct.

Anyone seeking further information or considering making a disclosure should contact the NTC's authorised officer via email: enquiries@ntc.gov.au or phone: +61 3 9236 5000 .

For further information on the operation of the PID Scheme more generally, please see the information provided by the Commonwealth Ombudsman at www.pid.ombudsman.gov.au.

The Commonwealth Ombudsman can be contacted on 1300 362 072. The PID Information line is +61 2 6276 3777. Email: PID@ombudsman.gov.au