Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 – AUSTRAC procedures
The Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 (PID Act) promotes the integrity and accountability of the Commonwealth public sector by creating a framework to facilitate the reporting of suspected wrongdoing and to ensure the timely and effective investigation of reports.
The public interest disclosure scheme replaces the whistleblowing provisions of the Public Service Act 1999 and aims to remove barriers which prevent people who work in the public sector from speaking up about serious problems that impact on public administration. It also provides protections against reprisals for those who make public interest disclosures.
Public interest disclosures may be beneficial in identifying:
- conduct that needs correction
- weak or flawed systems which may make the agency vulnerable
- inefficiency and financial loss, and
- risks to the health or safety of staff or the community.
AUSTRAC is committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethical and accountable conduct and ensuring that individuals who make public interest disclosures are provided with the protections available under the PID Act. Accordingly, AUSTRAC has released a document, Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 - AUSTRAC Procedures, which outlines how disclosures will be handled by AUSTRAC.
- Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 - AUSTRAC procedures (Word, 548KB)
- Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 - AUSTRAC procedures (PDF, 511KB)
If after reading Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 - AUSTRAC Procedures you wish to make a Public Interest Disclosure, please provide your disclosure to an AUSTRAC Authorised Officer by any of the following means:
By email: pid@austrac.gov.au
This email inbox is only accessible to Authorised Officers.
By mail:
Authorised Officer
AUSTRAC
PO Box K534
Haymarket NSW 1240
By phone: 1300 021 037
Please request to speak to a Public Interest Disclosure Authorised Officer.
The information contained in your disclosure should be clear and factual, and should, as far as possible, avoid speculation, personal attacks and emotive language. It should contain supporting evidence where that is available to the discloser and should, where possible, identify any witnesses to the disclosable conduct.
This guidance sets out how we interpret the Act, along with associated Rules and regulations. Australian courts are ultimately responsible for interpreting these laws and determining if any provisions of these laws are contravened.
The examples and scenarios in this guidance are meant to help explain our interpretation of these laws. They’re not exhaustive or meant to cover every possible scenario.
This guidance provides general information and isn't a substitute for legal advice. This guidance avoids legal language wherever possible and it might include generalisations about the application of the law. Some provisions of the law referred to have exceptions or important qualifications. In most cases your particular circumstances must be taken into account when determining how the law applies to you.