ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿

Our Code of Conduct (the Code) sets out principles and standards of behaviour that all employees must observe when performing their duties and is intended to promote accountable and ethical decision making. The Code includes the following principles.

• Principle 1: We value the Department’s reputation and act in the best interest of both the public and Department
• Principle 2: We act with honesty and integrity
• Principle 3: We act in an open, transparent and accountable manner and commit to using public resources responsibly
• Principle 4: We commit to ensuring a healthy and safe workplace
• Principle 5: We act professionally and treat others with respect, courtesy and fairness
• Principle 6: We respect and maintain privacy and confidentiality

We will maintain and update all relevant policies, protocols and procedures to reflect legislation and industry best practice to guide employees’ actions and decisions. You can expect Department employees to:

• accept responsibility and be accountable for their decisions and actions which at all times will be fair, ethical, transparent and legal;
• promote and uphold the integrity of the Department and the State ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿;
• act professionally always and provide a proactive and responsive service to maintain excellent and efficient working relationships with all our business partners;
• disclose any real or perceived conflicts of interest and immediately report any real or perceived unethical behaviour; 
• utilise public resources efficiently and effectively; and  
• secure and protect your proprietary and commercial in confidence information.

The Department expects all business partners, contractors and suppliers (and any of their sub-contractors) to be aware of this Statement, and of our obligations and commitment to comply with the law and applicable legislation. We expect all business partners, contractors and suppliers to act ethically, fairly and legally and provide goods and services in compliance with contract and purchasing requirements.

We take a zero tolerance approach to unethical behaviour, including fraud and corruption, which will be investigated and may result in negative consequences such as:

• termination of contracts and loss of future work with the Department;
• debarment from supplying goods, services or works to State ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ agencies;
• damage to business reputation;
• referral to investigative bodies including the Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC) and the Public Sector Commission (PSC) and/or criminal investigation.

The Department and our employees must ensure there is no actual, perceived or potential conflict of interest between personal interests and the impartial fulfilment of public duties and functions. This includes those that exist, or could arise, from personal relationships between employees and staff of contractors, the suppliers of goods and services through procurement processes, and all other areas of business including recruitment.

Any conflicts of interest must be disclosed and the offering of inducements to any employee, or collusion with employees or other contractors, are scrupulously avoided.

The Department has systems to manage any actual, perceived or potential conflicts of interest. Our systems ensure that any actual or potential conflict of interest must be resolved in favour of the public interest.

The specific requirements of copyright laws and individual contracts must be adhered to in relation to confidentiality and intellectual property.

The Department will take all reasonable steps to protect your proprietary and commercial in confidence information. Such information will not be released without your permission, or as required by the Freedom of Information Act 1992 or other applicable legislation.

The Department and its business partners, contractors and suppliers will maintain business relationships based on open and effective communication, respect and trust and adopt a non-adversarial approach to dispute resolution.

Business partners, contractors and suppliers must not offer Department employees secondary employment that conflicts with the employee’s public duties.

The Department and our employees do not expect and will not seek from business partners, contractors and suppliers any incentives, gifts or acts of hospitality for carrying out normal business activity.

Any offers of gifts, benefits or hospitality must be declared and recorded in the Department’s gift register, as per Department policy.  

The offer of gifts, benefits and hospitality must not be encumbered by an obligation or to seek a favourable outcome that creates a real or perceived conflict of interest (for example; during a tendering or procurement process, or prior to a contract performance review).

Representatives of business partners, contractors and suppliers must not make any public comment or statement that may lead anyone to believe that they are representing the Department.

The Department does not tolerate corrupt or other improper conduct, including mismanagement of public resources, in the exercise of its public functions, and is committed to the aims of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2003 (the Act).

The Act promotes accountability within government agencies by facilitating the disclosure of public interest information involving misconduct, offences, misuse of public resources or risks to public health or safety. It also serves as a means to protect those who make disclosures to appropriate authorities, and those who are the subject of disclosures.

We recognise the value and importance of reporting to identify and address potential wrongdoing. We will respond to disclosures thoroughly and impartially, and treat all people in the disclosure process fairly — including those who may be the subject of a disclosure.

Our PID policy and procedures provide further information on how the Department deals with and processes public interest disclosures. 

PID enquiries

We strongly encourage anyone thinking about making a public interest disclosure to seek confidential advice from the Department's principal PID officer before making a disclosure. All enquiries will be treated in confidence.

For further information, please contact the Department's Principal PID Officer via email to PIDOfficer@dtwd.wa.gov.au.

Lodging a disclosure of public interest information

Those wishing to make a disclosure of public interest information under the Act are encouraged to do so in writing. The Public interest disclosure lodgement form is available to assist you in defining the details of your disclosure. 

View/download the PID policy and lodgement form

The Public Interest Disclosure Act 2003 and the Corruption, Crime and Misconduct Act 2003 protect persons who disclose misconduct from reprisal or detrimental action and ensure disclosures are properly assessed and dealt with.

Information on how to make disclosures to the Public Sector Commission or the Corruption and Crime Commission can be obtained by visiting their websites.

• PSC website: wa.gov.au/organisation/public-sector-commission

In WA, under the Freedom of Information Act 1992 (the FOI Act), the right applies to documents held by most State government agencies (such as departments, public hospitals, public universities and State government authorities), Ministers and local government.

Please visit our FOI section to view our Access to information policy, and other information relating to FOI.