All ACT government agencies should force people on recruitment panels to declare any conflicts of interest, including when there are no known conflicts, the ACT Auditor-General has recommended.
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Michael Harris said a shift to positive reporting for conflicts of interest - where public servants make a declaration even when there are no known conflicts - would help prevent conflicts going undeclared.
An audit of the ACT government fraud prevention practices at the Community Services and Transport Canberra and City Services Directorates and within Access Canberra found the agencies had effective plans to prevent fraud and corruption.
The audit noted there had been 131 allegations of fraud levelled against ACT public servants and 42 of those claims had been substantiated.
"While the cost of fraud to the ACT Public Service is unknown, these acts damage the ACT community's trust in the integrity of the ACT Public Service and its capacity to effectively protect public resources," the audit said.
The audit report made six recommendations, which included improving the clarity of purpose in fraud and corruption prevention plans and better guidance for conflict of interest registers.
The audit said the entire ACT public service should be surveyed about fraud and corruption risks, and make the results public.
Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
