New South Wales – Independent Commission Against Corruption

The NSW ICAC has issued two corruption prevention publications that might be of interest to South Australian public officers who deal in procurement, audit and risk:

This 46 page guide can assist public sector agencies in developing robust policies and procedures for conducting supplier due diligence and will help public officers in understanding risk and recognising red flags in procurement.

It also offers simple tips in probing the integrity of online suppliers via their websites using methods such as viewing webpage source code, searching internet archives, obtaining a site’s IP address and geolocation, and reverse image searches.

This 12 page guide explores the role that Audit and Risk Committees play in managing corruption and integrity risks in public administration. It covers fraud and corruption control frameworks, complaint handling process, internal audits and the unique risks of outsourcing public sector functions.

Victoria – Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission

The Victorian IBAC recently published a number of case studies that reveal insights obtained from IBAC investigations that can help public authorities develop prevention methods to avoid falling victim in similar scenarios:

In June 2016, IBAC commenced Operation Carson after receiving a notification from a Victorian state department regarding allegations that a senior staff member had an undeclared conflict of interest in their partner’s private business. The case study identifies five main vulnerabilities within the department and lists nine possible prevention measures.

In early 2017, IBAC commenced an investigation following a notification that a sworn member of Victoria Police was associating with the manager of an adult entertainment venue. The investigation subsequently revealed that the officer had obtained unauthorised access to police information and disclosed that information to an employee of the adult entertainment venue. The case study identifies five main vulnerabilities and details several possible prevention measures.

Queensland – Crime and Corruption Commission

The QLD Crime and Corruption Commission’s Prevention in Focus case studies draw on investigations to highlight specific prevention lessons for the public sector:

Following a Qld CCC investigation a Qld public service employee was found to have dishonestly claimed nearly $40,000 in overtime over a two year period. This 5 page resource provides useful strategies for managers to prevent and detect fraud in timesheets, wages, and leave applications.

COVID-19

Several of the nation’s integrity agencies issued advice and warnings on the unique integrity threats presented by the ongoing disruption caused by COVID-19. The South Australian ICAC published a special 11 page report - Public Administration in a Pandemic: Unique Challenges in the Current Climate on 8 May 2020.

Publications from other integrity agencies include:

This article was published in the ICAC's newsletter - Integrity Matters

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