QUT is committed to fostering an ethical, transparent culture and values the disclosure of information about suspected wrongdoing so that it can be properly assessed and if necessary, appropriately investigated and acted on.

We encourage the reporting of wrongdoing via a Public Interest Disclosure (PID) and will facilitate support for employees or others who make disclosures about matters in the public interest, ensuring that disclosers are offered protection from reprisal.

QUT’s Public Interest Disclosure Management Policy and Procedure affirms the university’s commitment to managing PIDs and potential PIDs in accordance with the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2010 (PID Act), the standards issued by the Queensland Ombudsman and QUT’s Disclosures of Interest Policy.

The Public Interest Disclosure Management Policy and Procedure is managed by the Vice President (Administration) and University Registrar and their delegates.

What is a public interest disclosure (PID)?

A public interest disclosure (PID) is a specific type of disclosure of information that occurs in the public sector and is regulated and protected by legislation. For a disclosure to qualify as a PID, it must satisfy three key criteria as set out in the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2010:

  1. The disclosure must be about:
    1. If disclosed by a QUT employee:
      1. the conduct of another person that could, if proved, be corrupt conduct or maladministration that adversely affects a person’s interest in a substantial or specific way; or
      2. a substantial misuse of public resources (other than an alleged misuse based on mere disagreement over policy that may properly be adopted about amounts, purposes or priorities of expenditure); or
      3. a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety; or
      4. a substantial and specific danger to the environment.
    2. If disclosed by any person:
      1. a substantial and specific danger to the health or safety of a person with a disability; or

        Concerns or grievances about work including interpersonal conflict and the application of employment-related policies and procedures are generally not protected disclosures for the purposes of the PID Act.

      2. the commission of an offence against a provision listed in Schedule 2 of the PID Act that would be a substantial and specific danger to the environment; or
      3. a contravention of a condition imposed under a provision listed in Schedule 2 of the PID Act, if the contravention is or would be a substantial and specific danger to the environment; or
      4. the conduct of another person that could, if proved, be a reprisal.
  2. The information being disclosed must:
    1. tend to show the conduct, or
    2. be information which the discloser honestly believes on reasonable grounds tends to show the conduct.
  3. The disclosure must be made to a proper authority:
    1. QUT is a property authority in relation to a disclosure if the disclosure relates to: the conduct of QUT or any of its employees; anything QUT has a power to investigate or remedy; or the conduct of another person that could, if proved, be a reprisal that relates to a previous disclosure made by the person to QUT
    2. Disclosures by QUT employees can be made to any person who, directly or indirectly, supervises or manages them.
    3. Disclosures can also be made to any member of QUT’s governing body, for example the Vice-Chancellor and President or any member of QUT Council.
    4. Disclosers are encouraged to follow the procedure set out in the Public Interest Disclosure Management Policy and Procedure. If a disclosure is made in another way (including to another proper authority as outlined above), it will be referred to the Office of the Vice-President (Administration) and University Registrar or to the Vice-Chancellor and President (as appropriate) for assessment and management.
    5. Alternately, a PID can be made to Your Call, an externally operated complaint management service. Your Call is an intermediary service, acting as the conduit between you and QUT when making a report and throughout any ongoing communication via the online portal. You can choose to remain fully anonymous, share your details with Your Call only or decide to share your details with both Your Call and QUT. Your Call will work with QUT to ensure that your complaint is managed at the right level, and in accordance with existing QUT policies, processes, and relevant legislative requirements.

How can a PID be made?

A discloser can make a PID to QUT in any way, including anonymously.  However, to maximise the effectiveness of QUT’s response, disclosers are encouraged to follow the process set out in the Public Interest Disclosure Management Policy and Procedure.

For all PIDs except those concerning the Vice-President (Administration) and University Registrar:

  • A PID may be made to the Office of the Vice-President (Administration) and University Registrar

For PIDs concerning the Vice-President (Administration) and University Registrar:

  • Where a PID concerns the alleged conduct or actions of the Vice-President (Administration) and University Registrar, or the discloser otherwise considers it inappropriate to make their PID to the Vice-President (Administration) and University Registrar, the PID may be made to the Office of the Vice-Chancellor and President.

To assist in the assessment of the disclosure, and any subsequent investigation of a PID, disclosers are encouraged to provide the following information, in writing:

  • their name and contact details (e.g. email address and telephone number); and
  • as much information as possible about the alleged wrongdoing as possible, including:
    • Who was involved?
    • What happened?
    • When did it happen?
    • Where did it happen?
    • Were there any witnesses and, if so, who were they?
    • What evidence is available and where is that evidence is located? Provide copies of relevant documents if they are available to the discloser.
    • Is there any further information that could assist in the consideration of the disclosure?

All persons involved in the management, investigation or response to a PID must maintain confidentiality, both while the matter is actively being dealt with and afterwards.

QUT Public Interest Disclosure Management Policy and Procedure

QUT’s Public Interest Disclosure Management Policy and Procedure contains detailed information about: how to make a PID, how PIDs are assessed by the University, how the University will respond to a PID, confidentiality obligations, and available support for disclosers.

Public interest disclosure enquiries

If you have any questions about QUT’s management of public interest disclosures, you can contact registrar@qut.edu.au