Victoria’s public interest disclosure scheme is vitally important in ensuring that people who report improper conduct and corruption in the Victorian public sector (disclosers) can do so in the knowledge that they will be protected.
The Public Interest Disclosures Act 2012 (formerly the Protected Disclosure Act 2012) encourages and facilitates making disclosures of improper conduct by public bodies or public sector employees, and protects people making disclosures.
Protections include keeping the identity of the person reporting improper conduct confidential and protecting them from reprisals including bullying, harassment or legal action.
The State Revenue Office values transparency and accountability, and does not tolerate improper or corrupt conduct.
We support the making of disclosures revealing improper conduct and will take all reasonable steps to protect people making disclosures from reprisals. We are also committed to affording natural justice to the person subject of the disclosure.
What is improper conduct?
Improper conduct includes:
- corrupt conduct
- criminal offences
- serious professional misconduct
- dishonest performance of public functions
- intentional or reckless breach of public trust
- intentional or reckless misuse of information
- substantial mismanagement of public resources
- substantial risk to health or safety of a person
- substantial risk to the environment
- conduct of any person that adversely affects the honest performance by a public officer of their functions
- conduct of any person that is intended to adversely affect the effective performance by a public officer of their functions for the benefit of the other person.
How do I make a disclosure?
A disclosure of improper conduct by the State Revenue Office or its employees should be made directly to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC). The Act does not permit public interest disclosures to be made directly to the State Revenue Office.
Our procedures for managing disclosures
Once we have been notified by IBAC about a public interest disclosure investigation, we will take all reasonable steps to protect the discloser from reprisal and manage their welfare. For more information, download our Public Interest Disclosures Procedures.
More information
For more information about public interest disclosures, visit the IBAC website or contact:
Public Interest Disclosures Coordinator Paula Thorne
Executive Director, Policy, Advisory and Legal Services
State Revenue Office
GPO Box 1641
Melbourne VIC 3001
Phone (03) 9628 6105
