The Commission is best known for its corruption investigations – but investigations are only one aspect of the Commission’s work. The Commission also undertakes evaluations, produces education programs and resources, prepares reports for the Parliament, and makes recommendations to agencies to assist in the prevention of corruption. Each of these activities is aimed at meeting the Commission’s objective of preventing or minimising corruption in public administration. However, the nature and impact of these activities are not always visible or understood outside the Commission’s offices.

Some of these activities receive considerable public attention, for instance the former Commissioner’s Inquiry into the Oakden Older Person’s Mental Health Service. The Inquiry report described systematic failures, including poor management , inadequate systems, unacceptable workplace practices and poor workplace culture at the Oakden Facility.

The Inquiry has had significant impact. The State Government implemented all 23 of the Commission’s recommendations.  The Oakden Facility was closed and replaced with a new, purpose built facility. Improvements have been made to the governance and accountability, work practices, workplace culture, and facilities and resourcing of services for older patients needing specialist care. The inquiry has contributed to significant national reforms, and was one of the triggers for the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

More recent activities that have resulted in impact that is likely to prevent future corruption, stem from Commission reports the likes of Yes Minister. Yes Minister resulted from an investigation of allegations that a State Government Minister used his position to progress an unsolicited proposal between a personal associate and the government.  Media attention largely speculated on the identity of the Minister. However, the impact of the Commission’s work often occurs outside the media glare.

While only the report itself is available to the public, it has been followed by practical steps taken to strengthen the integrity of unsolicited proposals. The government has accepted the Commission’s recommendations to tighten controls, especially those relating to conflicts of interest, in relation to unsolicited proposals. Government guidelines on unsolicited proposals will be reviewed and updated, and a new training module on handling unsolicited proposals has been released.

The impact of the Commission’s work is not always immediate. In 2018, the Commission tabled its evaluation of Safework SA. In 2022, an independent review found that SafeWork SA:

…is a different organisation today as a result of the reforms of the last five years. The organisation is more professional, and disciplined, and staff are more individually accountable for their work. This provides a strong foundation for the organisation to go forward and be a powerful force in making workplaces safer in South Australia, and indeed, the safest in Australia.”[1]

The way in which the Commission’s assistance is received by an agency often shapes its effectiveness. The Commission’s evaluation of Playford City Council was well supported by the council’s senior leaders and staff alike. Such an open and collaborative response can support the deeper structural and cultural change necessary to protect an agency against improper conduct. Agencies such as Playford City Council share the Commission’s proactive approach to preventing opportunities for improper conduct. This approach is often preferrable to trying to work out what went wrong after allegations of corruption have been made.

Evaluations usually take a broad focus, looking across an agency’s policies, procedures and practices. However, effective impact may also involve the Commission bringing attention to weaknesses in more discrete areas of an agency’s functions. Agencies may become aware of these weaknesses following the finalisation of a corruption investigation.

Even though many investigations do not result in a referral for prosecution, they usually highlight weaknesses in practices and procedures that, if left unaddressed, may lead to corruption. Following an investigation, the Commissioner will ordinarily write to an agency to make recommendations to addresses such weaknesses. The Commission produces an annual summary of its post investigation recommendations in Integrity State: Corruption Prevention Recommendations. In 2022-2023, recommendations related to corruption risks in procurement, risks posed by external contractors working in public sector agencies, human resource management, and the management of public assets.

The Commission has developed a suite of education and training resources of assist public officers to understand the value of public integrity, how to detect and prevent risks to integrity, and the importance of reporting suspicions of corruption. Education events include workshops and online courses, video resources hosted on the Commission’s website or embedded in an agency’s own resources, public talks by the Commissioner and Commission staff, and contributions to training modules run by public authorities, inductions sessions for new staff, and staff development forums.

The Commission has been in operation for ten years. In this time, it has conducted almost 700 education sessions attracting over 30,000 attendees. The Commission first offered online resources in 2016. Since then, those resources have been accessed over 300,000 times. The Commission hopes that each person who accesses our resources is encouraged to share the Commission’s goal of protecting public administration against potential corruption.