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Document 4- Integrity Agencies Group Meeting Minutes- 9 August 2024
OFFICIAL: Sensitive
INTEGRITY AGENCIES GROUP
DRAFT MINUTES
Friday 9 August 2024 | 10:00am – 11:30am | Wiradjuri Room, Treasury Building
Attendees
In person:
Dr Gordon de Brouwer PSM
Australian Public Service Commissioner (Chair)
Ms Katherine Jones PSM
Secretary, Attorney-General’s Department
Ms Rona Mellor PSM
Acting Auditor-General
The Hon Paul Brereton AM RFD SC National Anti-Corruption Commissioner
Mr Iain Anderson
Commonwealth Ombudsman
Mr Reece Kershaw APM
Australian Federal Police Commissioner
Ms Nicole Pearson
Acting CEO, Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority
Ms Heather Cook
CEO, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission
Ms Raelene Sharp KC
Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions
Mr Mark Davidson
Merit Protection Commissioner
The Hon Troy Grant
Inspector-General of Water Compliance
Ms Angelene Falk
Australian Information Commissioner
Via Microsoft Teams:
Ms Ruth Owen CBE
Inspector-General of
Taxation and Taxation Ombudsman
Ms Leanne Smith
CEO, Australian Human Rights Commission
Secretariat:
s 47F
Director, Integrity and Ethics, Australian Public Service
Commission
s 47F
Assistant Director, Integrity and Ethics, Australian Public
Document 4- Integrity Agencies Group Meeting Minutes- 9 August 2024
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INTEGRITY AGENCIES GROUP
Service Commission
s 47F
Graduate, Integrity and Ethics, Australian Public Service
Commission.
Apologies
:
Mr Martin Hehir PSM
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
Dr Rachel Bacon
Deputy Commissioner, Integrity, Reform and Enabling
Services, Australian Public Service Commission
Item 1 – Welcome from Chair, and minutes and action items from
previous meeting
1. 1 The Chair provided an Acknowledgement of Country and welcomed
members to the meeting.
1. 2 The Chair recognised that Ms Falk’s term as Australian Information
Commissioner was concluding; noted her achievements in the role, and
expressed thanks for her contribution to IAG.
1. 3 The Chair recognised and thanked Ms Mellor as outgoing acting Auditor
General.
1. 4 The Chair noted first meeting for Ms Sharp as Commonwealth Director of
Public Prosecutions.
1. 5 Members introduced themselves and the Chair noted the apologies.
1. 6 Members endorsed the IAG Meeting minutes from 2 May 2024.
Item 2 – Update: National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC)
2. 1 Commissioner Brereton presented an overview of the operations of the NACC
since the last IAG meeting, including an update on its previous action item -
the integrity data project.
2. 2 Commissioner Brereton reflected on the recent Australian Public Service Anti-
Corruption Conference, and confirmed that NACC will host the 2026
conference in Canberra.
2. 3 The Group discussed Commissioner Brereton’s presentation, including the
details of the Commonwealth Integrity Survey 2024 and complaints handling.
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INTEGRITY AGENCIES GROUP
Item 3 – Update: Australian National Audit Office (ANAO)
3. 1 Ms Mellor noted that new Auditor General, Dr Caralee McLeish, will
commence her term in November 2024.
3. 2 Ms Mellor shared recent areas of attention for the ANAO and recent audit
findings.
3. 3 Group members discussed Ms Mellor’s presentation, particularly in regards to
uplifting procurement and contract management in agencies. The Chair
noted that the procurement profession is currently being established.
Item 4– Update: Commonwealth Ombudsman (agenda change)
4. 1 Mr Anderson presented an overview of recent observations and insights of the
Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman including the risks associated with
agencies not adequately reflecting changes to the law in their decision-
making procedures or responding effectively to tribunal and court decisions
concerning the operation of their programs.
4. 2 Group members discussed Mr Anderson’s presentation. Secretary Jones noted
that the new Administrative Review Tribunal framework will seek to address
agency responsiveness to tribunal and court decisions.
Item 5 – Update: Australian Public Service Commission (APSC)
5. 1 s 47F
gave an overview of the APSC’s program of work in the areas of
integrity and APS reform. Members discussed this program of work,
particularly the introduction of Stewardship as a new APS value.
5. 2 The Chair invited IAG members to engage with forthcoming APS Reform
Office issues paper on the extension of APS Values to all entities subject to the
Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.
Item 6 – Update: Merit Protection Commission
6. 1 Mr Davidson presented an overview of the operations of the Office of the Merit
Protection Commissioner and recent observations and insights including the
current themes of merit reviews, the use of external investigators for Code
inquiries and the MPC’s educative focus on good decision-making.
6. 2 Group members discussed Mr Davidson’s presentation and acknowledged the
shortage of suitably skilled in-house code of conduct investigators across the
APS.
Item 7 – Strategic Discussion: Transparency of Integrity Activities
7. 1 The Chair noted that time constraints would not allow for this discussion to
occur at the August meeting.
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Item 8 – Other Business
8. 1 Secretary Jones gave an overview, as chair of the Capability and Workforce sub-
committee of Secretaries Board, of its current policy development work on
building psychological safety in the workplace. Secretary Jones indicated
further engagement with IAG members on this work will be critical and
undertook to provide a summary of the outcomes of the sub-committee’s
presentation on this work to Secretaries Board.
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Appendix 1
ACTIONS
Item
Action
Members(s)
Completed
1
Invite ANAO and NACC to future
APSC
Ongoing
SES professional stream working
group meeting/s to share relevant
observations
2
Secretary Jones to update IAG
AGD
Item
members on ‘building
scheduled for
psychological safety’ work of
12 Nov
Capability and Workforce sub-
meeting
committee of Secretaries Board
3
Defer Strategic Discussion (Item 7) APSC
Item
‘Transparency of Integrity
scheduled for
Activities’ to next IAG meeting
12 Nov
meeting
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INTEGRITY AGENCIES GROUP
Appendix 2
Meeting summary for publication on APSC website
Meeting date: 9 August 2024
At the 9 August 2024 Integrity Agencies Group meeting, the Group discussed:
• An update from the National Anti-Corruption Commissioner on the
Commission’s operations.
• Updates from the Acting Auditor-General, Commonwealth Ombudsman
and the Acting Merit Protection Commissioner on their agencies’ recent
findings regarding integrity in Commonwealth agencies
Document 5-Integrity Agencies Group Meeting Minutes- 12 November 2024
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INTEGRITY AGENCIES GROUP
DRAFT MINUTES
Tuesday, 12 November 2024 | 2:00pm – 3:30pm | Wiradjuri Room, Treasury
Building
Attendees
In person:
Dr Gordon de Brouwer PSM
Australian Public Service Commissioner (Chair)
Dr Rachel Bacon
Deputy Commissioner, Australian Public Service Commission
Ms Katherine Jones PSM
Secretary, Attorney-General’s Department
Dr Caralee McLeish PSM
Auditor-General
The Hon Paul Brereton AM RFD SC National Anti-Corruption Commissioner
Mr Martin Hehir
Deputy Secretary, Prime Minister and Cabinet
Ms Angela Barrett
COO, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission
Ms Nicole Pearson
A/g CEO, Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority
Ms Jamie Lowe
Merit Protection Commissioner
Mr Chris Jessup
Inspector-General Intel and Security
Mr Ian McCartney
Acting Australian Federal Police Commissioner
Via Microsoft Teams:
Mr Hugh De Krester
President, Australian Human Rights Commission
Ms Sarah Bendall
Acting Commonwealth Ombudsman
Ms Raelene Sharp
Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions
Mr Troy Grant
Inspector-General of Water Compliance
Ms Ruth Owen
Inspector General of Taxation and Taxation Ombudsman
Ms Elizabeth Tydd
Australian Information Commissioner
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Secretariat:
Ms Kylie Barber
Assistant Commissioner, Integrity Performance and
Employment Policy, Australian Public Service Commission
s 47F
Director, Integrity and Ethics, Australian Public Service
Commission
Item 1 – Welcome from Chair, and minutes and action items from
previous meeting
1. 1 The Chair provided an Acknowledgement of Country.
1. 2 The Chair welcomed members, new members and first-time attendees to the
group and the Chair noted the apologies.
1. 3 Members endorsed the IAG Meeting minutes from 9 August 2024 meeting
with no changes.
Item 2 – Update: Australian Public Service Commission (APSC)
2. 1 Dr Bacon updated members on progress of APS Stage 2 reforms, including
public consultations on integrity initiatives.
2. 2 Dr Bacon also shared reflections from her recent attendance at an OECD
forum, including observations from international colleagues of the common
tension of heightened community expectations of public services, including
integrity matters, with budget constraints and increased external scrutiny.
2. 3 The APSC has launched a major project to optimise its statutory role by
strengthening the promotion, assurance and monitoring of its policy
frameworks to enhance support for agency heads as employers, through
increasing focus on upstream preventative work.
2. 4 Ms Barber also sought the interest of members in a small working group to
explore synergies in integrity education priorities and identifying potential
collaborative efforts.
Item 3 – Update: Australian National Audit Office (ANAO)
3. 1 Ms Caralee McLeish introduced herself and shared her priorities as the new
Auditor-General of Australia, including upholding Commonwealth integrity
through governance and methodological advancements.
3. 2 Ms McLeish indicated upcoming audit program for 2025, including
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recommendations to foster behavioural improvements.
3. 3 Ms McLeish also noted recent thematic and specific observations from
individual ANAO reports including poor procurement practices in the
Australian Passport Office.
Item 4 – Update: National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC)
4. 1 Commissioner Brereton provided updates on the NACC’s current program of
work, noting data of recent referrals and investigations, and outlined
forthcoming guidance products including corruption risks in election
activities, conflict of interest and ethical decision-making.
4. 2 Commissioner Brereton outlined plans for Anti-Corruption Day (9 December
2024), including a seminar and public messaging.
4. 3 Commissioner Brereton also referred to the NACC Inspector-General’s recent
report findings on the NACC’s response to referrals from the Robodebt inquiry
and provided an update on the NACC’s response.
4. 4 Commissioner Brereton also canvassed early insights from the inaugural
Commonwealth Integrity Survey.
Item 5 – Attorney-General’s Department (AGD)
5. 1 Secretary Jones provided an update on the current work of the Capability and
Workforce Committee in building psychological safety in the APS workforce.
5. 2 This work responds to recommendations of the Louder than Words Action
Plan to address agency capability with regard to ‘speak-up’ culture, and
includes developing materials to support agency-level awareness,
communication, and monitoring.
5. 3 Secretary Jones also indicated the development of a Commonwealth Integrity
Strategy is ongoing and foreshadowed that AGD will consult with integrity
agencies on the draft strategy at relevant stages as it progresses.
Item 6 – Group Discussion: Transparency and Accountability
6. 1 The Chair facilitated an open discussion on strategies for transparency of
integrity agency functions in an environment of heightened public scrutiny.
6. 2 Members shared their experiences with discretionary public disclosure and
balancing transparency with maintaining necessary confidentiality to ensure
operational integrity.
6. 3 Members discussed tension between fostering public trust and confidence
while safeguarding employee privacy and wellbeing, and the need for tailored
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transparency approaches based on specific statutory requirements.
Item 7 – Other Business
No additional business was raised.
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Appendix 1
ACTIONS
Item
Action
Members(s)
Status
2
Australian Public Service
APSC
Outstanding
Commission to convene
education priorities/activities
working group
4
National Anti-Corruption
NACC
Outstanding
Commission to share Anti-
Corruption Day materials with
members
5
AGD to consult on draft integrity
AGD
Outstanding
strategy content with Member
agencies at the appropriate time
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Appendix 2
Meeting summary for publication on APSC website
Meeting date: 12 November 2024
At the 12 November 2024 Integrity Agencies Group meeting, the Group discussed:
●
Updates on APS integrity reforms, education initiatives, and upstream
preventative efforts.
●
Recent audit findings and their implications for Commonwealth integrity.
●
NACC investigations and strategies for promoting ethical decision-making.
●
Challenges and strategies for ensuring transparency amidst heightened
scrutiny.
