Special

Christmas

Edition

 

CPN

News

Update

 

 

 

 

Welcome to the Corruption Prevention Network special Christmas edition of News Update.  The CPN News Update is designed to keep you abreast of all the latest Corruption Prevention news.

 

CPN News Update provides a collection of current news, events and publications from various government and non-corporate organisations. If you would like to contribute to the Corruption Prevention Network News Update please email Sarah at sarah.dimech [at] uts.edu.au

 

 

Latest CPN News

 

á      Call for resources:  The CPN is continuing to build a library of resources for the benefit of members.  If you have a policy or resource that you feel may benefit other organisations, please email it to cpn [at] corruptionprevention.net to have it posted on the Internet site.

 

á      The CPN Annual Conference will be held on Thursday 8th September 2005, so pencil it in now!!!!

 

á      Presentation slides are now available on the Internet site for the seminar ÒAvoiding Investigation PitfallsÓ http://www.corruptionprevention.net/resources/resources04_07.html

 

á      The Annual General Meeting was held last Friday 3rd December 2004.   The new Office Bearers appointments are as follows:

-        Chair: Chris Ballantine (NSWG, Education)

-        Vice Chair: Charles Hughes (NSWG, Commerce)

-        Secretary: Sarah Dimech (UTS)

-        Treasurer: Neville Gordon (Shoalhaven City Council)

 

 

Recent Publications and Bulletins:

 

NSW ICAC Publications:

 

Managing conflicts of interest in the public sector: Resources

These are resources that explain the principles that should govern the management of conflicts of interest.

 

Managing Conflicts of Interest in the Public Sector: Toolkit

The tool kit is designed to assist government organisations to develop and implement a customised conflicts of interest management system, and to help individual public officials identify, manage and monitor conflicts of interest  - 120 page ring-bound resource that includes the Guidelines generic training resource

 

For further information visit -

http://www.icac.nsw.gov.au/index.cfm?objectID=72175F8B-AAFA-0AD2-197E14F934E2B469&NavID=B296740F-9052-77A7-FD3744B9C0567385

 

In addition, see the article below by the ICAC in relation to the new tool kit and resources.

 

 

Other Publications:

 

á      Comfraud Bulletin

http://www.afp.gov.au/afp/page/Crime/Fraud/ComfraudBulletins.htm

 

 

á      TI Australia News Update

http://www.transparency.org.au/ - s01

 

 

 

International Links:

 

á      OECD anti corruption newsletter for Asia/Pacific

http://www1.oecd.org/daf/asiacom/pdf/nl02.pdf

á      Fighting Fraud and Corruption

http://www.ex.ac.uk/~RDavies/arian/scandals/fight.html

 

 

á      The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales

http://www.icaew.co.uk/library/index.cfm?AUB=TB2I_31341

 

 

 

 

In the Know!!!!!

 

Choosing the Right Hotline:

The popularity of Corruption Prevention and Ethics Hotlines has increased ten- fold over the last few years.  Choosing the right hotline for your organisation can be difficult.  The Corruption Prevention Network therefore will be doing a Special Hotlines Edition of CPN News in February 2005.  In this edition the CPN will be inviting companies who supply Hotlines to write a small spiel on their company and what it can offer you.  If you know of any such companies that may want to participate please email Sarah by Friday 4th February 2005.

 

 

 

5th National Investigations Symposium

The National Investigations Symposium is held every two years as a forum for public officials to learn about new approaches and techniques that can enhance fact-finding skills.  The two-day conference is an opportunity to learn from the experiences of others and make vital contacts.

 

The 5th National Investigations Symposium was held at the Manly Pacific Hotel, Sydney on 4 and 5 November.

 

The symposium featured a strong line-up of speakers, including:

 

-                Gherardo Colombo, former Investigating Magistrate and Prosecuting Attorney, Office of the Attorney-General, Milan

 

-                Jeremy Pope, Co-Director, TIRI, the London based Governance Access Learning Network and foundation managing director of Transparency International,

 

-                Alan Doig, Professor of Public Services Management, University of Teeside, UK, and previously Head, Centre for Fraud Management Studies, John Moores University

 

-                Dr Kate Storey-White, CEO AudioLex, UK.

 

-             Gherardo Colombo spoke about the large-scale investigations into systemic corruption in Italy, which began in 1992 and investigated more than 5,000 people, including four former Premiers, more than 150 former and present Members of Parliament, councillors and mayors and even judges, while Dr Storey-White spoke about forensic techniques for examining sounds, voice, text and language.

 

-             Well-known journalist Quentin Dempster chaired a session with Frank Costigan QC and Justice Geoffrey Kennedy QC speaking about the legacy of some of the most significant inquiries in Australian political history, such as the ÔWA IncÕ inquiry and the Victorian Painters and Dockers Royal Commission.

 

-             Peter Hall QC, Counsel Assisting the Waterfall Inquiry, spoke about the importance of selecting the appropriate investigation methodology when investigating matters involving systemic problems, while Dr Russell Smith, Deputy Director, Australian Institute of Criminology, spoke about key issues in the prosecution of financial crime and corruption.

 

-             Dr SmithÕs presentation focused on how to facilitate detecting and reporting of financial crime and corruption; how to reduce delay in investigations and prosecutions; how to contain the cost of investigations; how to achieve effective sanctions and how to make effective use of decisions.

 

A key theme of the symposium was integrity systems – the practices and institutions that work to sustain accountability and control corruption, misconduct and maladministration.

 

Professor Alan Doig presented an international perspective on integrity systems in 33 countries, while Dr AJ Brown, Director of Integrity & Corruption Research at Griffith UniversityÕs Key Centre for Ethics, Law, Justice and Governance, presented findings from the Integrity Systems Assessment Project conducted by Transparency International and the Key Centre.

 

This project represents a first attempt to ÔmapÕ a single countryÕs integrity systems, to gain a better understanding of how such systems interact, where the strengths and gaps are, and what practical reforms or further research might help ensure the best possible integrity systems into the future.

 

The symposium covered a wide range of other issues, including investigating document and information leaks, confronting cultural issues in investigations and investigative journalism strategies and techniques.

 

This year the evaluation of the symposium is being done by way of an online survey.  All delegates who attended have now been sent an electronic link to give access to the survey.  Responses are due by 13 December 2004.  Please take the time to complete the survey as the results will help symposium organisers to make the program interesting and relevant for delegates.

 

The National Investigations Symposium is organised by the Institute of Public Administration Australia (NSW Division), NSW Ombudsman and the ICAC. For more information visit the IPAA website www.nsw.ipaa.org.au or contact IPAA on (02) 9228 5225.

 

Presentation slides for the Symposium may now be found at http://www.nsw.ipaa.org.au/07_publications/4nic_papers.htm

 

 

Standard on Risk Management

The updated version of the Standard on Risk Management (AS/NZS 4360:2004) was launched on 16 September 2004.   The theme of managing risk was neatly reinforced by the event being held at the Sydney Aquarium with sharks swimming past continuously, and two divers in the tank holding up a banner about the new Standard! 

 

The previous version of the Standard has become highly influential globally, in all sectors.  The new Standard offers:

 

á      greater emphasis on embedding risks management practices into organisations' cultures and processes

 

á      heightened focus on the management of potential gain as well as potential loss

 

á      more prominence given to communication and its importance to the overall   process

 

á      extensive supporting guidance in the form of a Handbook (HB 436).

 

Copies of the Standard and the Handbook are available for purchase through SAI Global (the publishing house for Standards Aust) at http://www.standards.com.au/catalogue/script/Details.asp?DocN=AS564557616854

 

 

 

Managing conflicts of interests challenges major corruption and misconduct risks

 

Two of AustraliaÕs leading integrity agencies have joined forces to tackle the most prevalent corruption and misconduct issue facing the public sector – managing conflicts of interest.

 

The overwhelming majority of matters that come before the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in NSW, and QueenslandÕs Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC), involve conflicts of interest. In response, the agencies have jointly produced new best practice guidelines on the issue, which are expected to become industry standard throughout Australia.

 

Managing Conflicts of Interest in the Public Sector: Guidelines and Toolkit were launched on 9 November 2004 to provide practical advice on how to implement policies and procedures to effectively handle conflicts of interest. They aim to assist state and local government elected officials, state government departments, local governments, universities, boards, government corporations as well as businesses.

 

The purpose of the Guidelines is to assist public sector leaders in the development of a policy framework for managing conflicts of interest.  The Toolkit contains practical information and resources to support the implementation of best practice policy.  The tools give options and plans that organisations can adapt to assist in the effective development, introduction and review of a conflicts of interest management system

 

The guidelines and toolkit are available electronically at www.icac.nsw.gov.au or in hardcopy by downloading the order form for fax-back for the ICAC.

 

 

 

Discussion Point

 

The following is a new section designed to get people offering ideas on issues other CPN subscribers might have to deal with.  Each newsletter will have an article, which looks at a particular topic.  The CPN encourages feedback from readers on what they think of the issue, or how they have dealt with such issues in their organisations.  Input from subscribers will appear each issue in the ÒHave your SayÓ section.  If you would like to write an article for this section, please contact Sarah.

 

 

A Friendly Reminder to all StaffÉ.

 

ItÕs beginning to look a lot like Christmas, or so the song says, which means everything will soon become chaotic as Christmas always is.  At one end of the scale you have employees busily preparing for the end of year celebrations, calling friends, hanging Christmas decorations and exchanging gifts.  On the other end of the scale employers should be busily reminding staff that receiving gifts or benefits from external partners and clients is never that simple.

 

Take the example of two friends who exchange gifts each year on birthdays.  The normal scenario is that as soon as one of the friends stops buying for the other, the second friend will follow suit and also stop giving gifts.  That is not to say that all people are alike, and that you as the second friend wouldnÕt continue to give gifts.  But, and a big ÔbutÕ at that, most people expect something in return for a gift or benefit and this is when your corruption prevention Ôspidy sensesÕ should kick in.

 

Particularly you should be asking what external parties are giving gifts and benefits and which staff members are receiving them.  For a nice twist on the giving and receiving of gifts and benefits you might also want to ask the questions, who in your organisation is giving gifts and benefits, to whom, and with what money and authorisation?

 

Ideally all of these issues should be covered under policy.  If you donÕt have a policy it is suggested you implement one as soon as possible.  A good guide for writing a policy on gifts and benefits may be found in the Independent Commission Against Corruption publication, ÒGifts, benefits or just plain bribes? Guidelines for public sector agencies and officialsÓ.  The guidelines may be found at the ICAC websites:  http://www.icac.nsw.gov.au/index.cfm?objectid=E29C323D-A7CD-5ED6-91AE5341BF067721.

 

Other issues you might want to consider when writing a policy on gifts and benefits are whether you will be requiring staff to register when they receive a gift.  If so, from whom, and under what circumstances?  For example, should employees be registering gifts under $20.00, over $30.00?  What figure is acceptable?

 

This time two years ago, I sent an email out to the CPN Mail list asking what amount was acceptable in asking staff to register gifts and benefits.   On examining the figures I received, I was left with an average of $30.00.  That is, employees should be registering gifts and benefits that are valued at $30.00 or more.

 

So does registering gifts and benefits work?  I asked this question to a number of CPN Committee Members.  One response I received was from Chris Ballantine, Department of Education and Training.  According to Chris, the Department of Education and Training Code of Conduct states that the value of a nominal gift that can usually be accepted is $50.00.  However, just because the nominal amount is $50.00 does not mean that all gifts and benefits can be accepted.   Chris gives the example of a telephone conversation he had the day before with a school principal.

 

The principal asked about situations when students take up a collection and present teachers with gifts of value far in excess of $50.  As Chris explained, ÒThe DET view is that students should not feel that they need to give gifts as there could be a perception at least that teachers will favour students/classes that give gifts. The Department takes a softer view of final year students presenting teachers with giftsÓ.

 

The above example demonstrates that limitations should be drawn and that all situations should be examined when implementing a gifts and benefits policy.

 

Once you have implemented a gifts and benefits policy, you will need to ensure that staff are made aware of it.  Some examples of this include utilising your organisationÕs newsletters, messages on pay slips, and broadcast emails.  For a more creative approach you might want to consider something along the lines of sending little pretend money bags with chocolate in them to senior managers with a little note reminding them to remind staff of the policy, as demonstrated in the picture.

 

 

 

Sarah Dimech

University of Technology, Sydney

(Opinions expressed in this article are that of the writer only and are not necessarily the opinions of the University of Technology, Sydney)

 

 

Have Your Say:

 

 

 

The Corruption Prevention Network would like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

 

 

 

Disclaimer:

Please note that information regarding the various publications and training have been taken directly from the various Internet sites cited.  In some cases the information has been paraphrased.  Advertising of Publications and Training is with permission of the provider.  If any information is cited incorrectly, or if people wish to no longer have their details cited in this publication or wish to add additional information, please email sarah.dimech [at] uts.edu.au and we will amend accordingly.