Page 2210 - Week 07 - Thursday, 27 August 2020
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The bill also has an amendment that will see heads of public sector entities now nominate a disclosure officer or officers for their entity and publish the disclosure officer’s or officers’ contact details on the entity’s website. Details of disclosure officers must also be given to the Integrity Commissioner. There is a requirement for the Integrity Commissioner to publish disclosure officers’ details on their website, removing the need for this to be a notifiable instrument. I am advised that this will reduce administrative burden while also increasing transparency for both applicants and respondents.
I am aware of significant consultation and discussion regarding the roles, governance and authorised environment around the Office of the Legislative Assembly, members and their staff. As a former Speaker, I do respect and understand some of the complexities and sensitivities that arise when the parliament seeks to legislate its own operations. I have received positive feedback regarding the role that staff from the Chief Minister’s office have had in facilitating these discussions with members and officials. Certainly, having looked at a bit of the detail of this part of the bill in particular, and having had some discussions in both the administration and procedure committee and with the Clerk directly, I am appreciative of the effort that has gone into resolving some of the subtle but important details in this part of the legislation.
The final government amendments that have been circulated today have removed the previous provision that enabled the Integrity Commissioner to refer a disclosure relating to a Legislative Assembly entity to the Legislative Assembly Commissioner for Standards, formerly referred to as the parliamentary standards commissioner. The amendment to section 19(2) provides clarification that if a disclosure relates to a Legislative Assembly entity, it must only be investigated by the Integrity Commissioner and must not be referred.
I would like to acknowledge further government amendments that have arisen from consultations with the opposition and that relate to guidance material for members of the Legislative Assembly. Firstly, it is another example of the benefits of open debate and engagement with all parties in this place that can see productive discussion leading to tangible outcomes. Secondly, those of us that have had dealings with PIDs in our respective offices will agree that there have been complexities and some vagaries to date, and I look forward to increased guidance directly from the Integrity Commission on these new arrangements.
With those few remarks, I indicate that we support this bill today and believe that the amendments will improve not only the process but also, for the parties involved in the process, their understanding of how it works.
MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (11.29): The opposition will give in-principle support for the Public Interest Disclosure Amendment Bill 2020. The bill seeks to update, simplify and clarify the public interest disclosure—PID—process, including strengthening protections for disclosers. It also wants to create a pro-disclosure culture and to clarify the role of the Integrity Commissioner, including differentiating conduct that falls within the scope of the PID Act versus the Integrity Commission Act.
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