The Protected Disclosure Act 2013 (the PD Act) came into force on 10 February 2013. The purpose of the PD Act is to encourage and facilitate disclosure of improper conduct and detrimental action taken in reprisal for a person making such a disclosure by public officers and public bodies.
The PD Act protects people who make disclosures in accordance with the Act, and establishes a system for investigating the matters disclosed and taking rectifying action.
Part 10 of the PD Act requires the government party to report certain information (including its current procedures for the handling of disclosures of improper conduct) in its annual report.
Compliance with the PD Act and the development of procedures to ensure compliance are an essential part of a government party's private party compliance program. Compliance has a significant role in ensuring the transparency and accountability of an entity's administrative and management practices by supporting disclosures that reveal improper conduct, conduct involving a substantial mismanagement of public resources, or conduct involving a substantial risk to public health and safety or the environment.