Corruption Matters - November 2019 | Issue 54
APSACC wrap up
Around 500 delegates from across Australia gathered for the 7th Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference (APSACC). It was also the occasion at which the leaders of all anti-corruption agencies in Australia signed a joint statement solidifying their commitment to fighting public sector corruption.
On 29 October 2019, the eve of the 7th APSACC at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Australia’s nine state and territory anti-corruption commissioners, including ICAC Chief Commissioner, the Hon Peter Hall QC, put their name to a landmark communiqué.
“Across Australia, much has been done to build corruption resistance and expose instances of corruption in the public sector,” it reads. “While these achievements should be celebrated, much still remains to be done.”
The communiqué addresses practical measures by which corruption may be detected, exposed and prevented. It emphasises the need for leaders to build organisational cultures of integrity that genuinely support and encourage people to speak up, and to raise awareness of the protections for those who speak up.
Leaders from Australia’s integrity agencies sign the joint communique on the eve of APSACC 2019.
The inaugural APSACC was hosted by the ICAC in Sydney in 2007, and then later in 2013 and 2017. In 2019, the conference was held in Melbourne for the first time with keynote presentations delivered by:
- Jennifer Coate AO, former judge of the Family Court of Australia, Royal Commissioner, and Officer of the Order of Australia
- Sarah Chayes, author of Thieves of State and the forthcoming Kleptocracy in America
- Dr Laode M Syarif, Commissioner, Corruption Eradication Commission, Republic of Indonesia
- Professor Robert Klitgaard, Claremont University.
The ICAC Corruption Prevention Division’s Executive Director Lewis Rangott and Principal Officer Giselle Tocher delivered case studies on operations Estry and Tarlo respectively. Senior Corruption Prevention Officer (Training) Adam Shapiro delivered the training program “Getting the most out of your corruption prevention”.
Professor Robert Klitgaard presenting at APSACC
APSACC 2019 was presented by the ICAC, Crime and Corruption Commission, Queensland, Corruption and Crime Commission, Western Australia, Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission, Independent Commissioner Against Corruption, South Australia, Integrity Commission, Tasmania, Law Enforcement Conduct Commission, NSW, and the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity.
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