Decorated former commando resigns as NSW SES commissioner amid misconduct allegations
Mark Smethurst, the NSW State Emergency Services (SES) Commissioner, has offered his resignation follow allegations of misconduct. Read More
misconduct
What TV comedy The Good Place tells us about why banks and other corporations are in a bad place
American fantasy-comedy The Good Place has covered some surprisingly similar ground to Australia's banking royal commission. Read More
National Integrity Commission’s chief architect: Attorney-General’s fears overblown
The Attorney-General is wrong to claim the rights of public servants, ABC journalists and others would be violated by the National Integrity Commission proposed in federal parliament this week, according to its chief architect, Professor AJ Brown. Read More
SA public sector misconduct register expected in October
South Australian government agencies will be able to look up job applicants in a misconduct register from October to see if they’ve ever been disciplined… Read More
Robert Doyle harassment claims upheld: Melbourne CEO Ben Rimmer issues statement
Claims of "sexually inappropriate conduct" against former Melbourne lord mayor Robert Doyle have been upheld following an investigation. Read More
‘Over the top’ discipline: rethinking bullying in the public service
Recent cases show that bullying in the public service can take place through otherwise legitimate mechanisms, such as reassignment decisions and misconduct investigations. Employment lawyer John Wilson explains. Read More
Police want to report corruption, but fear repercussions
Almost half of Victoria Police employees worry they would suffer personal repercussions for reporting internal corruption, research released by the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission has found. Read More
The ACT’s answer to ICAC: bipartisan committee goes the whole hog
One side of politics has warmed to the idea of a federal ICAC in the wake of recent scandals. They could look across Lake Burley Griffin for a fresh and extremely comprehensive model that ticks all the right boxes. Read More
ACT appoints a more visibly independent public service standards commissioner
Former Commonwealth auditor-general Ian McPhee is coming back into the Canberra public service fold as the ACT government's next public sector standards commissioner -- and unlike the current one, he won't work in the public service at the same time. Read More
Misconduct register for SA public servants
Consultation is underway to create a centralised misconduct register in SA to prevent public servants being hired again after being fired for misbehaviour. The public sector commissioner wants to make sure it's fair. Read More
Social media sucks: when shocking misconduct is not sackable
It is tempting for decision makers to act swiftly when a public servant commits serious misconduct that seems certain to be grounds for dismissal. But as two recent cases highlight, caution is always advisable. Read More
Peter Hall to lead the new ICAC structure he doesn’t support
NSW Supreme Court judge Peter Hall has been named ICAC's first chief commissioner as it moves ahead with a new organisational structure he doesn't really agree with. Read More
Collegiality and the collaboration paradox for bureaucratic reform
Five years in the making, reform of the ACT public service legislation confronts a common paradox: cross-government collaboration is vital, but the Westminster tradition naturally creates bureaucratic silos. Read More
Inquiry puts integrity framework’s shortcomings on the record
The specific weaknesses of the federal integrity framework mean NSW's ICAC model, although popular, isn't necessarily the best option. Whichever the model, it's likely APS matters would dominate, not politicians. Read More
Conflict of interest? ‘No big deal’ say Tasmania’s servants
One quarter of complaints are prompted by conflicts of interest but public servants aren't taking it seriously, says the Tasmanian Integrity Commission. And the state is particularly vulnerable to corruption. Read More