Making and handling protected disclosures - Policy and procedure

Any person or group of people can make a protected disclosure. Businesses and companies cannot make protected disclosures.

The Victorian Protected Disclosure Act 2012 (PDAct) has been set up to:

• encourage and assist people to make a disclosure of improper conduct and detrimental action by public officers and public bodies;
• provide certain protections for people who make a disclosure, or those who may suffer detrimental action in reprisal for a disclosure; and
• ensure that certain information about a disclosure is kept confidential – the identity of the person making the disclosure, and the content of that disclosure.

The body with overall responsibility for administration of the PDAct is the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC). More information about Protected Disclosures and advice on how to make a Protected Disclosure to the IBAC can be obtained from the IBAC website.

The purpose of this policy and procedure is to facilitate the disclosure of improper conduct or detrimental action by VARTA or its employees (including members). These procedures have been prepared in accordance with the PDAct and the guidelines issued by IBAC.