Use these resources to understand your responsibilities and find official guidance on integrity across the public sector.
On this page
Legislation
- View the Public Sector Act 2009
- View the Public Sector (Honesty and Accountability) Act 1995
- View the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2018
- View the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 2012
- View the Ombudsman Act 1972
Public sector policies and guidance
- Read the Code of Ethics
- Learn about the public sector values
- View Premier’s Directions
- View Premier and Cabinet Circulars
- Read Treasurer’s Instructions
- View determinations and guidelines of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment
- Read Office for Public Integrity directions and guidelines
- Read Ombudsman SA directions and guidelines
- Download the Fraud and Corruption Control Policy (PDF, 333KB)
- Read the SA Government Procurement Framework
- View the The South Australian Protective Security Framework
- View the Cyber Security Framework
Reporting integrity concerns
- Report a concern to the Office for Public Integrity
- Make a complaint to Ombudsman SA
Glossary
Accountability
Being responsible for decisions and actions, and being able to explain and justify them.
Conflict of interest
A situation where a public officer’s personal interests conflict, or could be perceived to conflict, with official duties. For example, conflicts must be declared in recruitment processes to avoid actual or perceived favouritism.
Corruption
Conduct involving criminal offences such as bribery or abuse of public office.
Gifts and benefits
Items or services offered to a public officer, such as hospitality or discounts, that may create a real or perceived conflict of interest.
Independent Commissioner Against Corruption (ICAC)
An independent body that identifies, investigates and prevents corruption, misconduct and maladministration in public administration.
Integrity
Acting truthfully, consistently and fairly, in line with the Code of Ethics.
Maladministration
Improper or unauthorised use of public resources, or significant mismanagement in performing official functions.
Misconduct
A breach of a code of conduct or inappropriate behaviour by a public officer in their official role.
Office for Public Integrity (OPI)
The central point for receiving and assessing reports of corruption, misconduct and maladministration.
Ombudsman
An independent body that investigates complaints about South Australian state and local government.
Public administration information
Information that may indicate corruption, misconduct or maladministration.
Public interest disclosure
A disclosure made under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2018 (SA), which protects individuals who report certain types of information.
Public officer
A person defined in Schedule 1 of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 2012 (SA).
Transparency
Acting in an open and clear way so that decisions and actions can be understood and scrutinised.
- Premier’s Directions
- Premier and Cabinet Circulars
- Treasurer’s Instructions
- Determinations and Guidelines of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment
- Office for Public Integrity – Directions and Guidelines
- Ombudsman SA – Directions and Guidelines
- Fraud and Corruption Control Policy
- Procurement Policies and Guidelines
- Protective Security Framework
- Cyber Security Framework
- Conflict of interest - where the personal interests of a public officer come into conflict with, or could be perceived as coming into conflict with, their professional duties and responsibilities. For example in recruitment processes, conflicts must be declared to address actual or perceived nepotism.
- Corruption - includes conduct that constitutes one of a number of offences, including bribery or corruption of public officers, threats or reprisals against public officers and abuse of public office. It includes any other offences committed by a current or former public officer while acting in his or her capacity (or former capacity) as a public officer. If it is not a crime, it is not corruption.
- Misconduct - occurs when a public officer contravenes a code of conduct or is involved in any other misconduct while acting in his or her capacity as a public officer.
- Maladministration - includes irregular and unauthorised use of public money or substantial mismanagement of public resources. It also includes substantial mismanagement in or in relation to the performance of official functions and conduct resulting from impropriety, incompetence or negligence.
- ICAC – Independent Commissioner Against Corruption. The role of the Commissioner is to identify and investigate corruption in public administration, and prevent or minimise corruption, misconduct and maladministration in public administration.
- Integrity – Under the public sector Code of Ethics, integrity refers to acting truthfully, consistently and fairly. It means being honest, treating others with respect and adhering to ethical principles.
- Ombudsman – Independent and impartial body which deals with complaints about South Australian state and local government.
- OPI - Office for Public Integrity. OPI is responsible to the Commissioner and is the central point of contact to receive and assess complaints and reports about corruption, misconduct and maladministration in public administration.
- Public administration information - information that raises a potential issue of corruption, misconduct or maladministration in public administration.
- Public Interest Disclosure – the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2018(SA) encourages and facilitates the disclosure of public interest information to certain persons or authorities. Protections are provided for those who make appropriate disclosures. The two types of public interest information are public administration information and environmental and health information.
- Public officer – means a person listed in Schedule 1 of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 2012(SA)