What is a public interest disclosure?

Under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2012 (The Act) (formerly the Protected Disclosure Act 2012) a public interest disclosure (PID) is a disclosure of information that shows or tends to show improper conduct or detrimental action by a public officer or body.

The Act encourages and facilitates disclosures of improper conduct by public officers, public bodies and other persons including detrimental action taken in reprisal for a person making a disclosure under the Act. The Act also provides protections for people when they do make a disclosure, ensuring the confidentiality of the content and the identity of persons who make disclosures.

Our public interest disclosures procedure

South East Water is committed to the aims and objectives of the Act. It does not tolerate improper conduct by its employees, officers or members, nor the taking of reprisals against those who come forward to disclose such conduct.

South East Water recognises the value of transparency and accountability in its administrative and management practices, and supports the making of disclosures that reveal:

  • corrupt conduct
  • conduct involving a substantial mismanagement of public resources, or
  • conduct involving a substantial risk to public health and safety or the environment.

South East Water will take all reasonable steps to protect people who make such disclosures from any detrimental action in reprisal for making the disclosure. It will also afford natural justice to the person who is the subject of the disclosure.

In accordance with section 58 of the Act, South East Water has prepared written procedures for the protection of persons making disclosures from detrimental actions by any employee, officer or member of South East Water.

How to make a public interest disclosure?

South East Water is not a public body prescribed under the Act to receive public interest disclosures. Disclosures about South East Water, its employees, officers or members should be made directly to the Independent Broad-Based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC).

IBAC information

For more information and guidance on the Act please refer to the Independent Broad-Based Anti-Corruption Commission Guidelines.

Address: IBAC, GPO Box 24234, Melbourne, Victoria, 3001

Web: Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission

Phone: 1300 735 135