Model of public duty
What it really means to be a public official in NSW
MODEL OF PUBLIC DUTY
A guide for all NSW public officials
The Model of Public Duty provides a common set of standards to help public officials and agencies make consistent and ethical decisions.
It is the basis on which public sector Agencies and Local Councils can tailor their codes of conduct, values and behaviours to exceed, or meet, those identified in this Model.
The ICAC encourages management in all Agencies and Local Councils to adopt and actively promote the Model of Public Duty.
Public Official
A public official is anybody who works in or for State or Local Government, or related statutory authorities, at any level and in any capacity that requires the exercise of public official duties.
Even a person in private enterprise who sits on a government Board or is contracted to manage a function for a public authority, such as a computer system, is a public official.
Public Duty
Everyone who deals with, or works in the public sector, has the right to expect that public officials will make decisions based on consistent and high ethical standards. These ethical standards should apply to all public officials and agencies.
It is the ICAC's experience that problems are usually avoided when public officials rely on approved organisational values to make decisions.
MODEL OF PUBLIC DUTY |
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1 Serving the public interest above all else by
· not serving own interests
· managing conflicts of interest
2 Acting with integrity through the values below by being
Honest
- Obeying the law
- Following the letter and spirit of policies and procedures
- Fully disclosing actual or potential conflicts of interest
- Observing codes of conduct
Accountable
- Recording reasons for decisions
- Establishing audit trails
- Submitting to scrutiny
- Keeping proper, accessible records
Objective
- Being fair to all
- Considering only relevant matters
- Being fully informed
- Dispassionately assessing without fear, favour or deference.
Open
- Giving reasons for decisions, where appropriate
- Revealing all avenues available
- Where authorised, giving all relevant information
- Communicating with clarity and sensitivity
Courageous
- Giving advice fearlessly where required
- Doing the right thing even in the face of adversity
- Reporting and dealing with suspected wrongdoing
- Acting ethically above loyalty to colleagues or supervisors
3 Demonstrating leadership by
· illustrating the worth of these values by example
· promoting these values to others
· striving for excellence
THE MODEL HELPS:
PUBLIC OFFICIALS to identify and understand their responsibilities by providing guidance about expected standards of behaviour.
THE PUBLIC to understand the behaviour they should expect from public officials and compare it to the conduct observed.
JOB APPLICANTS to meet the NSW public sector requirement "a commitment to ethical practices" that appears in all Agency position advertisements.
AGENCIES/COUNCILS to test potential employees / suppliers / contractors for their understanding and commitment to public sector ethics.
SUPPLIERS/CONTRACTORS to understand their public duty responsibilities when working for government.
STRATEGIC PLANNERS to ensure plans are based on common sector wide values. The Model provides the opportunity for consistency in service delivery both throughout individual organisations and across the State.
MANAGERS & SUPERVISORS to describe expected behaviours and assess employee performance.
This model is part of the ICAC responsibility to raise community awareness about strategies to combat corrupt conduct and to enlist and foster public support to counter corrupt conduct in the public sector. This model draws on a wide range of overseas and Australian sources.
For more information about Public Duty and related publications, please contact the ICAC. All publications are on the ICAC website www.icac.nsw.gov.au
Independent Commission Against Corruption
Address: Level 21, 133 Castlereagh Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Postal: GPO Box 500 Sydney NSW 2001
Fax: (02) 9264 5364
Website: www.icac.nsw.gov.au
