Current or former public officials (disclosers) as defined in the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 (PID Act) who suspect wrongdoing within the Commonwealth public sector can make a disclosure under the PID Act.
For the purpose of promoting integrity and accountability in the public section, the PID Act requires AFMA to process a disclosure in accordance with the PID Act’s processes.
The types of conduct that a disclosure might be made about are listed below:
- contravenes a Commonwealth, state or territory law
- occurred in a foreign country and contravenes a foreign law that applies to the agency, official or service provider
- perverts the course of justice
- is corrupt
- constitutes maladministration, including conduct that is based on improper motives or 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
- endangers the environment.
The PID Act offers protection to disclosers (‘whistleblowers’) from reprisal action and immunity from civil, criminal, or administrative liability.
For more information about PID, please visit Commonwealth Ombudsman’ website - Public Interest Disclosure.
How to make a public interest disclosure
To submit a public interest disclosure or for more information, please contact AFMA’s PID team at PID@afma.gov.au.
Alternatively, you can make a PID directly to the Commonwealth Ombudsman by emailing at PID@ombudsman.gov.au
PID should include as much information as possible, including:
- name and contact details
- the nature of the wrongdoing
- who committed the wrongdoing
- when and where the wrongdoing occurred
- relevant background information and events
- if anything has been done in response to the wrongdoing
- contact details for anyone else who is aware of the wrongdoing, and
- any concerns about possible reprisal as a result of making the disclosure.