Report corruption in public administration

If you don’t speak up, nothing will change.

Know something? Say something.

Reporting corruption

Public administration should always operate in the public interest. If you don’t think that is happening, you should make a report to the Office for Public Integrity (external site) (external site).

If your report is assessed as raising a potential issue of corruption, it will be referred to the Commission. If it is assessed as raising a potential issue of misconduct or maladministration, it might be referred to the Ombudsman or another public authority.

All public officers have an obligation to report any conduct they suspect to be corruption in public administration.

Public officers are also encouraged to report serious or systemic misconduct and maladministration in public administration.

Take a stand against corruption and report what you know today.

Right is right, even if nobody is doing it.

Report corruption

Will you protect me?

It is an offence (punishable by a fine of $10,000) for a person to commit an act of victimisation against you. An ‘act of victimisation’ occurs when a person causes detriment to you (or another person) because of a report or complaint made under the ICAC Act, or because of information provided to the Commission in connection with an investigation under the ICAC Act. ‘Detriment’ includes: injury, damage or loss; intimidation or harassment; discrimination, disadvantage or adverse treatment in relation to a person’s employment; and threats of reprisal.

As well as being a criminal offence, an act of victimisation can be dealt with either as a tort, or as if it were an act of victimisation under the Equal Opportunity Act 1984. A ‘tort’ is a legal wrong committed by one person or entity against another. Where a tort is proved, the usual remedy will be an award of damages (that is, money). Remedies for a breach of the Equal Opportunity Act 1984 can include an order for the payment of compensation for loss or damage as a result of the contravention, including injury to feelings.

For more information, see s 57 of the ICAC Act (external site) (PDF) (external site) (PDF).

If your report is also an ‘appropriate disclosure’ within the meaning of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2018 (SA) (external site) (PDF) (external site) (PDF) (external site) (PDF) you may be entitled to additional protections. This includes certain immunities against any liability because of your report, additional protections against victimisation and a requirement that your identity as a reporter not be disclosed except in certain limited circumstances. For more information, see the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2018 (SA) (external site) (PDF) (external site) (PDF) (external site) (PDF).

Wrong is wrong – even if everyone is doing it.