Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, upon notice, on 29 August 2011:

(1) How many Code of Conduct investigations have there been within the Minister's portfolio for the financial years:

(a) 2010-11; and

(b) 2011-to date.

(2) How many investigations established:

(a) a breach; or

(b) no breach, of the Code of Conduct.

(3) In each case, what provisions of the Code of Conduct were thought to have been breached.

(4) What penalties were applied where the Code of Conduct was broken.

(5) How many investigations are ongoing.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

The following statistics include Code of Conduct investigations undertaken within all divisions of the department and the following portfolio agencies:

Director of National Parks

The Bureau of Meteorology

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

National Water Commission

Sydney Harbour Federation Trust

Murray Darling Basin Authority

The following statistics relate to formal Code of Conduct investigations under the Department's/Agency's section 15(3) procedures. The statistics do not include matters involving a potential breach of the APS Code of Conduct that were resolved without the commencement of a formal investigation process under the Department's/Agency's section 15(3) procedures. These other matters relate to more minor misconduct concerns that are resolved through appropriate administrative mechanisms such as counselling and training.

(1) During 2010 – 11, twelve Code of Conduct investigations were finalised under the Department's/Agency's section 15(3) procedures. Three of these investigations commenced in 2009–10.

For the year 1 July 2011 to date, four Code of Conduct investigations have been finalised under the Department's/Agency's section 15(3) procedures and there are two ongoing investigations.

(2) Of the investigations finalised in 2010–11 and to date in 2011-12, fourteen established a breach and two established no breach.

(3)—

(4)—

(5) There are currently two ongoing investigations into a potential breach of the APS Code of Conduct under the Department's/Agency's section 15(3) procedures.