The Education Directorate’s Fraud and Corruption Framework complies with the requirements of the ACT Integrity Policy (2010) and incorporates the Fraud and Corruption, Prevention and Response Plan. The Director-General’s Financial Instructions (Integrity and Reporting) and the School Management Manual (Fraud Control and Prevention) describe the fraud and corruption control processes for undertaking risk assessments, delivering education and awareness programs, and recording and reporting fraud.
The Fraud and Corruption, Prevention and Response Plan has been reviewed and finalised to cover 2016 to 2018. As part of the review the following material was considered:
- Standards Australia AS 8001 – 2008, Fraud and Corruption Control;
- Best practice guidelines for the control of Fraud and Corruption;
- work undertaken by other jurisdictions within Australia and other ACT Government Directorates; and
- results from a Directorate-wide fraud and corruption control survey undertaken to raise awareness of policies and procedures for the prevention and response to fraud and corruption.
Risks identified in the Plan and mitigation strategies are reported to the Director-General and the Audit Committee. This ensures that the potential for fraud or corruption is mitigated with appropriate controls.
The Director of the Governance and Community Liaison Branch is the Directorate’s Senior Executive Responsible for Business Integrity Risk (SERBIR).
The SERBIR reports to the Director-General on matters of fraud and integrity and also reports to the Audit Committee. Formal reports are provided to the Committee at least twice a year.
The Directorate, in conjunction with the Australian Education Union, has developed the Teachers’ Code of Professional Practice. A copy is made available to all new teachers, including casual teachers, on commencement. All new teachers are also required to undertake an online training on the Code as part of their induction program.
The general obligations of public employees (obligations) applying to all ACT Public Service staff are outlined in Section 9 of the Public Sector Management Act 1994 (PSM Act), a copy of which is provided with any application for employment in the Directorate. These obligations are supported by the ACT Public Service Code of Ethics (Code of Ethics).
Any person applying for employment with the Directorate is required to acknowledge that they have read and will comply with the provisions of Section 9 of the PSM Act, Section 153(1) of the Crimes Act 1900 (ACT) and Section 244 of the PSM Act. They are also required to acknowledge the consequences of breaching these requirements. Nothing in this acknowledgement is taken to discourage the disclosure of conduct that is “disclosable conduct” within the meaning of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1994.
The PSM Act, the Standards, the Code of Ethics and the Teachers’ Code of Professional Practice are all available on the Directorate’s website and intranet.
There is one instance of possible fraud being investigated within the Directorate in the 2016-17 financial year and the matter is continuing.
For further information contact:
Director
Governance and Community Liaison
(02) 6205 5511