Council’s Public Interest Disclosure Policy outlines its commitment to investigating all public interest disclosures in a confidential and timely manner.
Council encourages and supports public interest disclosures (including verbal and anonymous disclosures) of wrongdoing in council and will take appropriate action to investigate each disclosure. Any person with suspicions, concerns or information about matters concerning reportable conduct is encouraged to report the matter to council. Reportable conduct is conduct by a person or persons connected with council which is:
- dishonest,
- fraudulent
- corrupt
- illegal (including theft, drug sale/use, violence or threatened violence and criminal damage against property),
- a breach of legislation or local laws,
- unethical (either a breach of council’s Code of Conduct for Staff or generally),
- serious improper conduct,
- unsafe work practices,
- conduct which may cause financial or non-financial loss to the council or be otherwise detrimental to the interests
of the council,
- gross mismanagement,
- serious or substantial waste, or
repeated instance of breach of administrative procedures.
Disclosure to the Chief Executive Officer may be made in the following manner:
Anonymously By completing the Public Interest Disclosure Form
In person Level 1, 103 Walker Street, Townsville
By phone Chief Executive Officer - 4727 9205
By email GROUP-PublicInterestDisclosure@townsville.qld.gov.au
In writing CONFIDENTIAL
PID – CEO
Townsville City Council
PO Box 1268
TOWNSVILLE QLD 4810
IF IN DOUBT, REPORT.
Council recognises that the discloser may not wish to be identified during the course of an investigation and will do everything possible to protect the discloser's identity and will not disclose it without their consent except as required by law.
The Chief Executive Officer may intervene directly to protect the discloser and take immediate action to deal with suspected reprisal.