Corruption Matters - June 2016 - Issue 47

Community perceptions of the ICAC

By the Hon Megan Latham, Commissioner

We can all benefit from constructive feedback. It can help us know if we are fulfilling our functions to our best ability, whether we are providing the services and assistance our community expects, and how well we are hitting our marks or where we need to improve.

ICAC Commissioner, the Hon Megan Latham headshot
The Hon Megan Latham, ICAC NSW Commissioner

The Independent Commission Against Corruption serves the community of NSW by investigating, exposing and preventing corrupt conduct. Since 1993, the ICAC has conducted Community Attitudes Surveys to help us gauge how we are performing, and what the community knows and thinks about us. These surveys are an important tool in the Commission’s ongoing self-assessment.

The 2015 survey results, which were released on 23 June 2016, show that the community believes the Commission is effectively reducing corruption in the state. That perception is at the highest levels recorded in 22 years.

Seventy-five percent of respondents also indicated that the Commission has been successful in exposing corruption in NSW, while 93% believe that the ICAC is a good thing for the people of NSW. The results demonstrate the community’s belief in the integral role of the ICAC and its functions in promoting and protecting public sector integrity in NSW. This also says a lot about the relevance of the Commission to our society today, which is still very strong after over 25 years of being in operation. You can read more about the survey results in this issue of Corruption matters.

In November, the Commission will again jointly host the National Investigations Symposium (NIS) in Sydney, with the NSW Ombudsman and the Institute of Public Administration Australia (NSW Division). The 11th Symposium will provide professional development and networking opportunities to investigators and complaint handlers working in the public sector. There is information on how to register in this edition, but a special highlight is the interview with international guest speaker Travis Tygart, CEO of the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). Travis has some very interesting insights to share about how drug use is investigated in international sport, and USADA’s efforts to preserve the integrity of competition. I hope to see many of you at the Symposium.

The corruption risks and issues around facilities management are becoming an increasingly challenging area as government outsourcing trends that started in the 1990s continue. The facilities management story in this edition looks at this issue and lists some of the ways agencies can ensure that integrity is maintained for the outsourced delivery of these services.

Interest in the upcoming “Strategic responses to corruption” executive short course, jointly run by the Commission and the Australia and New Zealand School of Government is strong, and this year the Commission is offering 30 scholarships. Applications close on 29 July so please refer to the article in this edition to find out more.

Lastly, returning to the subject of surveys, I wish to bring your attention to the subscriber survey featured in this edition of Corruption matters. This is the first such survey conducted since the newsletter was repackaged in an electronic format, and the Commission is keen to receive your feedback. Please take a few minutes to respond to the survey so the ICAC can ensure that the newsletter meets our readers’ needs and expectations.

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