PID guidelines for agencies
These guidelines are designed to help agencies and their staff handle public interest disclosures under the PID Act.
Core concepts in the PID Act
This guideline will assist public officials in understanding the frequently used terms in the Public Interest Disclosures Act 2022 (PID Act).
What is a public interest disclosure?
Overview of the PID Act, the types of PIDs under the Act and how a PID can be made.
What is serious wrongdoing?
Information about the types of serious wrongdoing that can be reported under the PID Act.
Dealing with voluntary PIDs
Guidance on agency responsibilities regarding voluntary PIDs.
Dealing with mandatory PIDs
What a mandatory PID is, how agencies should deal with them, and the protections.
Dealing with witness PIDs
What a witness PID is, how agencies should deal with them and the protections provided.
Dealing with anonymous voluntary PIDs
Overview of the features of an anonymous voluntary PID and the responsibilities on agencies.
Deeming that a disclosure is a voluntary PID
Circumstances and factors to consider when deciding whether to deem that a report is a voluntary PID.
Protections under the PID Act
The protections available under the PID Act to the makers of voluntary, mandatory and witness PIDs.
Developing your PID Policy guideline
Model PID policy which agencies can adopt, as well as guidance for agencies on how to develop a PID policy.
Assessing a report of wrongdoing to identify if it is a voluntary PID
What an agency must do when they receive a disclosure that is or may be a voluntary PID.
Maintaining confidentiality when dealing with voluntary PIDs
Overview of the confidentiality requirements in the PID Act including PID handling strategies.
PIDs to Ministers, Members of Parliament and journalists
Making a voluntary PID to an MP or journalist and what agencies should do if a person has made a disclosure to an MP or journalist.
Updating the makers of voluntary PIDs and providing supports
Outlines the minimum requirements on agencies for updating the maker of a voluntary PID.
Reporting to the Ombudsman
Explains the reporting and notification requirements on agencies.
Entities and individuals providing services and exercising functions on behalf of an agency under contract or as volunteers
Guidance to agencies who engage contracted entities, individual contractors and volunteers.
Assessing and managing the risk of detrimental action
Under section 61(2) of the Public Interest Disclosures Act 2022 (PID Act), agencies have a duty to take steps to assess and minimise the risk of detrimental action (other than reasonable management action) being taken against any person. This includes the maker of a voluntary public interest disclosure (PID) and a public official who is the subj...
Detrimental action offences and how to refer evidence of detrimental action offences
Despite an agency’s duty to assess and manage the risk of detrimental action occurring, there may nevertheless be instances where a detrimental action offence takes place. If this happens, agencies are required to refer evidence and information to certain agencies under the Public Interest Disclosures Act 2022 (PID Act).
