Assessment of corruption issues policy
The assessment of corruption issues policy provides authoritative guidance to staff members performing functions as a delegate of the Commissioner and relates to how decisions are to be made to facilitate the timely and consistent assessment of referrals.
The NACC does not have to consider or respond to every referral it receives. The Commissioner can decide not to take any action in relation to a referral.
What happens after a referral is made
If a referral raises a corruption issue, the Commission may deal with it in one or more of the following ways:
- conduct a preliminary investigation to find out more information, to decide how to deal with the issue
- if the issue could involve serious or systemic corruption conduct, investigate the issue alone or jointly with a Commonwealth agency or a state or territory government entity
- refer the issue to the Commonwealth agency that the issue relates to for them to investigate
- refer the issue to a Commonwealth agency or state or territory government entity for consideration
- take no action.
If there is not enough information to decide whether the referral could involve serious or systemic corrupt conduct, the Commission may ask the person who referred the issue to provide more information.
Learn about making a referral: How to make a report
Preliminary investigations
The Commissioner may conduct a preliminary investigation to decide:
- whether a referral raises a corruption issue
- about the nature of a corruption issue
- whether a corruption issue is serious or systemic.
A preliminary investigation helps the Commission find out more information about the referral. They can then decide whether or how to deal with it. The Commission can use some of their investigatory powers under the NACC Act in a preliminary investigation, such as compelling persons to provide certain information, documents or things.
To learn about how the Commissioner may deal with a corruption issue, and what happens if there is an investigation, see the investigation process.
To request a review of a Commission Assessment decision please phone us.