The Public Interest Disclosure Act 2018 (PID Act) commenced on 1 July 2019, replacing the Whistleblowers Protection Act 1993 (WP Act).
The PID Act establishes a scheme that encourages and facilitates the appropriate disclosure of public interest information to certain persons or authorities. It provides protections for some persons who make an ‘appropriate disclosure’ of public interest information in accordance with the PID Act and sets out processes for dealing with such disclosures.
The PID Act applies differently to the following two types of public interest information:
Environment and health information - protection for anyone wanting to disclose environmental and health information where there is a substantial risk to the environment or to public health and safety. For more information, read Factsheet for the South Australian community.
Public administration information - protection for public officers wanting to disclose administration information where there is potential corruption, misconduct or maladministration. For more information, read Factsheet for South Australian Public Officers.
Making a disclosure about us
An appropriate disclosure of public administration information concerning the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing (ORSR) or an ORSR employee can be made to the ORSR Responsible Officer or to another relevant authority as defined by the Act.
There are a number of ways you can contact the ORSR Responsible Officer to make an appropriate disclosure of public interest information, including:
Email: ORSR.PID@sa.gov.au
Telephone: (08) 7424 7645
Post: *Mark the envelope private and confidential Public Interest Disclosure
PO Box 219
Brooklyn Park 5032
South Australia
In Person: You may request to meet the Responsible Officer face to face in a neutral location
Before making a disclosure
A person making a disclosure should consider:
- whether the information they intend to reveal might be considered an appropriate disclosure of public interest information, as defined by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2018.
- who is an appropriate authority for the purposes of disclosing the appropriate information.
- whether they have obligations under the Directions and Guidelines issued by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) and/or the Code of Ethics for the South Australian Public Sector.
Reporting obligations under the ICAC Act
Public officers are still obliged to comply with the reporting directions issued under the ICAC Act.
Most public officers are obliged to report to the Office for Public Integrity (OPI) any matter that the public officer reasonably suspects involves corruption or serious or systemic misconduct or maladministration in public administration.
The PID Act does not alter those reporting obligations.
Where a report is made to the OPI about potential corruption, misconduct or maladministration in public administration that report will be treated as an appropriate disclosure of public interest information under the PID Act.
For more information about public interest disclosure please visit the Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment website.
