People who are prepared to speak up about suspected wrongdoing in the Commonwealth public sector are vital in ensuring its integrity and accountability. Allegations of wrongdoing made under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 (PID Act) are known as public interest disclosures (PID).

Who can make a PID?

You must be a current or former ‘public official’.

This includes any person who is or was employed or appointed by the Australian Government (including members of the Defence Force and the Australian Federal Police), staff of Commonwealth companies, Commonwealth entities, the Parliamentary Service, statutory officeholders and service providers under contract to the Commonwealth.

How to make a public interest disclosure

Prior to making a PID, it is recommended you familiarise yourself with the Commonwealth Ombudsman – How to make a Public Interest Disclosure. This provides information on:

• Who can make a PID?
• What can I report?
• What is not disclosable conduct?
• What information should I provide?
• What obligations do I have?
• Protections for disclosers
• What supports are available for disclosers
• What if I am unhappy with the outcome?
• Other public interest disclosures, including external disclosure, emergency disclosure and legal practitioner disclosure.

The focus of the scheme is on disclosure within the Commonwealth public sector. You have a range of avenues within government and in limited circumstances outside government to make a disclosure. If you disclose information outside these circumstances, you will not be covered by the protections of the Public Interest Disclosure (PID) Act.

You can also remain anonymous, in your disclosure to the agency, however, GRDC has the discretion not to investigate if they cannot contact you to seek further information. GRDC will also not be able to notify you about the outcome of your PID unless you provide contact details.

You can make a PID by contacting a GRDC authorised officer:

Email: pid@grdc.com.au

Post: GRDC PID Authorised Officer
Level 4, East Building, 4 National Circuit
Barton ACT 2600

Telephone: (02) 6166 4500

When posting a PID, the disclosure should use two envelopes to minimise the risk of support staff inadvertently reading the disclosure. The envelopes should be marked ‘PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL’.