Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland (EWOQ) has a commitment to ensuring the highest level of ethics in our organisation. As such EWOQ supports public interest disclosures (PID).
EWOQ aims to:
- support and maintain the high standards of professional and ethical conduct in the Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland (EWOQ);
- demonstrate EWOQ’s commitment to developing, implementing and maintaining a management program for public interest disclosures (PIDs) and ensuring effective compliance with legislation and policy;
- assist employees and others to understand their rights and responsibilities in reporting fraudulent or corrupt behaviour or making a PID under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2010 (Qld);
- outline the legislative provisions and EWOQ’s procedures in place to protect any person who makes a PID or is the subject of a PID.
The oversight agency for the public sector in relation to PID’s is the Public Service Commission.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality will be maintained through the process. Accordingly, any confidential information received will not be disclosed to another person, except in accordance with the Act’s administration.
How disclosures can be made
A person can make a PID to the following:
- through the email address RTI@ewoq.com.au. This will send any disclosure through to EWOQ’s PID Officer, who has the responsibility of protecting the person making a PID;
- to the Energy and Water Ombudsman; or
- disclosures can additionally be made externally to a member of the Legislative Assembly, the Crime and Misconduct Commission, or any other external body responsible for taking action on the type of information being disclosed.
Disclosures can be made anonymously (if desired).
For further information, see the Public Interest Disclosure Policy and Procedure document.
Contact
For further clarification of this policy, please email RTI@ewoq.com.au.