New CCC unit ‘overlooks need for whistleblower protection’

Queensland’s corruption watchdog has missed the mark as it adds to its staff with a new unit, says a whistleblower. VOTE IN OUR POLL

Queensland’s crime watchdog has set up a new unit to check on wrongdoing in the public service and government-owned agencies.

The Crime and Corruption Commission has started recruiting eight professionals for a new Corruption Prevention and Engagement Unit.

“The new unit will be responsible for providing insights into emerging corruption risks and threats, and monitoring the way public-sector entities deal with and investigate complaints about corrupt conduct,” a spokesman said.

Its aim was to help Queensland public-sector agencies prevent corruption internally.

The unit’s new director of strategic insights and prevention will be offered a salary up to $156,490.

The new unit would have an education role in helping the public sector to be “corruption-resistant”.

The CCC has been criticised for referring complaints back to the government departments where the alleged wrongdoing is taking place.

Queensland Whistleblowers’ Action Group secretary Greg McMahon said while it was important for the CCC to educate the public sector about corruption risks, the priority should be protecting whistleblowers from reprisals.

McMahon said his members had echoed concerns raised by Professor Peter Coaldrake in his Let the Sunshine In report that the “CCC is sometimes ungenerously referred to in the public service agencies as ‘Australia Post’, that is, receiving complaints and sending them on without taking ownership of many investigations”.

McMahon said whistleblower protection had not been addressed properly since Tony Fitzgerald’s watershed inquiry raised concerns three decades ago.