Organisational commitment

The Shire of Murray (Shire) does not tolerate corrupt or other improper conduct.

The Shire is committed to the aims and objectives of the PID Act. The PID Act recognises the value and importance of reporting as a means of identifying and addressing wrongdoing.

The Shire strongly supports disclosures being made by employees about corrupt or other improper conduct. The Shire also strongly supports contractors and members of the community making disclosures of the same nature.

The Shire does not tolerate any of its employees, contractors or subcontractors taking reprisal action against anyone who makes or proposes to make a public interest disclosure.

The Shire will take all reasonable steps to protect employees from any detrimental action in reprisal for the making of a public interest disclosure.

The commitment to effectively manage public interest disclosures extends to a proper authority of the Shire, being its Public Interest Disclosure Officers (PID Officers). The PID Officers will abide by the Public Sector Commission’s PID Code of conduct and integrity in performing their duties.

The Shire is also committed to responding to public interest disclosures thoroughly and impartially. The Shire will treat all people in the disclosure process fairly, including those who may be the subject of a disclosure. 

The Shire will provide as much information as possible to people considering making a public interest disclosure. The guidelines are accessible to all employees and contractors. Copies are available from the PID Officers.  

The Shire:

• Is committed to dealing with all reports of suspected wrongdoing;
• Encourages people to report, if they witness any such behaviour;
• Will consider each matter under the appropriate reporting pathway; and
• Will make every attempt to protect the discloser from any reprisals.

What is public interest information?

The PID Act only applies to disclosures of public interest information (defined in s. 3 of the PID Act). Public interest information means information that relates to the performance of a public function by a public authority, public officer or public sector contractor (either before or after the commencement of the PID Act) and shows or tends to show that a public authority, a public officer, or a public sector contractor is, has been or proposes to be involved in:

• improper conduct; or
• an act or omission that constitutes an offence under a written (State) law; or
• substantial unauthorised or irregular use of, or substantial mismanagement of, public resources; or
• an act done or omission that involves a substantial and specific risk of:

• injury to public health; or
• prejudice to public safety; or
• harm to the environment; or

• a matter of administration that can be investigated under section 14 of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1971 by the Parliamentary Commissioner (Ombudsman Western Australia).

Before making a Public Interest Disclosure

Before making a PID, it is important that a discloser is aware of the rights and responsibilities imposed on disclosers and others under the PID Act:

• it is an offence to make a disclosure if you know, or are reckless about, it being false and misleading.
• with some exceptions, the PID Officers will investigate a disclosure and those involved will be expected to cooperate.
• The discloser keep the information confidential – or else they may lose protection and commit an offence under the Act.

Making a Public Interest Disclosure

If you wish to make a PID or seek further information, please contact one of the Shire’s PID officers set out below:

A discloser needs to clearly identify that they are making a public interest disclosure. For the purposes of accountability and certainty, persons wishing to make a disclosure of public interest information under the PID Act are encouraged to do so in writing. As the Shire expects that most disclosures will be made in writing the Shire has developed a Lodgement Form which can be used for the purpose of making such a disclosure.