A year in review: Annual report 2022-23 and Integrity State 2023 tabled | Independent Commission Against Corruption SA

17 October 2023

Today, the Commission’s Annual Report 2022-23 and a report entitled Integrity State 2023 were tabled in Parliament. The reports provide an overview of the operations of the Commission, including prevention and investigation activities for the last financial year.

Prevention activities have remained a focus of the Commission. Those activities have included completed evaluations of TAFE SA and the Central Adelaide Local Health Network, the ongoing evaluation of grants administration, the public sector procurement project, and the examination of lobbying in South Australia. The Commission published eight reports, delivered 33 education sessions, and made 136 corruption prevention recommendations to public authorities.

The timely resolution of investigations remains a key focus of the Commission’s work. The Commission completed 42 investigations during the reporting period. Three matters were referred to SA Police for further investigation and potential prosecution and three matters were referred to a public authority for further investigation and potential disciplinary action. Corruption prevention correspondence was sent to 19 public authorities on the closure of investigations.

Integrity State 2023 provides details on the corruption prevention letters sent to public authorities this year, with a focus on corruption risks in interactions between the public and private sectors, particularly unsolicited proposals.

Recommendations were made to public authorities to improve policies, guidelines and practices related to managing procurements, employees, contractors, and public resources.

As with last year’s Integrity State report, Integrity State 2023 highlights that inadequate management of conflicts of interest continues to undermine the integrity of public administration.

The Commission’s focus remains on delivering public value. In the Annual Report Commissioner Vanstone says: Integrity agencies are an essential adjunct to a well functioning democracy. It is important that the South Australian public has confidence in the Commission, and that the Commission will be unsparing in its vigilance on the public’s behalf.

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