Www.ethics.qld.gov.au SES Ethics Workshop. Compliance or Culture How to institutionalise ethics in public administration.

www.ethics.qld.gov.au

SES Ethics Workshop


Compliance or Culture

How to institutionalise ethics in public administration


ObjectivesBy the end of the workshop SES Officers will have:

1. Demonstrated an understanding of the Integrity and Accountability regime in Queensland

2. Applied the ethics principles to ethical dilemmas

3. Developed a conceptual framework for their leadership of ethical practice and culture in their agencies

4. Committed to action as champions of ethical practice and culture within their agencies and across government


A Conceptual Framework for Reform

Strategy – Structure – Culture


STRATEGY


Integrity and Accountability reforms a call to action

Four key principles underpinning a robust integrity and accountability framework

• strong rules• strong culture• strong scrutiny• strong enforcement


Government focus on ethics Summary of Reforms

Strong Rules

Including:

• One Code of Conduct for the Queensland Public Service

• Gifts and Benefits policy

• Regulating the lobbyist industry



Strong Culture

Including:

• Ethical leadership

• Mandatory ethics training

• Queensland Public Sector Ethics Network



Strong Scrutiny

Including:

• Integrity Commissioner role expanded

• Requirement to publish departmental gifts registers

• Reform of State Procurement Policy



Strong Enforcement

Including:

• Crime and Misconduct Commission

• Public Service Commission

• Effective Public Interest Disclosure regime


Structure


Integrity Regime

Your AgencyInternal ethics activities

and advice

Crime and Misconduct Commission•Crime and Misconduct Act•Combat major crime•Raising public sector integrity•Protecting witnesses

Public Service Commission•Public Service Act•Public Sector Ethics Act•Public Interest Disclosure Act•Ethics advice, policy and training

IntegrityCommissioner•Integrity Act•Integrity advice to Ministers/ CEO/ SES•Lobbyist Register

Queensland Audit Office•Auditor-General Act•Independent assessment of financial management•Help agencies improving financial management

Ombudsman•Ombudsman Act•Independent complaints investigation•Help agencies improving administrative and decision making practice

Information Commissioner•Right to Information Act•Information Privacy Act


CULTURE


Public Sector Ethics Act

Ethics Principles

• Integrity and impartiality

• Promoting the public good

• Commitment to the system of government

• Accountability and transparency


Integrity and impartiality

Truthfulness

Fairness

Honesty

Not prejudiced

Unbiased

Just


Promoting the public good

actions that benefit

the

people of Queensland as a whole


Commitment to the system of government

the government (elected by the people)

and the

laws and institutions (public service and courts)


Accountability and transparency

to act responsibly so our actions and decisions can be explained

being open and candid so our actions and decisions can be easily understood


Ethics in practice


What happens when things go wrong?


Ethical failureHurricane Katrina New Orleans

• Failure to act in the public good

• Perception of lack of integrity and impartiality -lack of respect for the people

Human impact: significant additional distress to survivors and loss of life


Ethical failureReconstruction of Iraq

• Failure to act in the public good

• Lack of integrity and impartiality

• Lack of transparency and accountability

Human impact: loss of security, services and human life


Ethical failure

The AWB, DFAT and the Oil for Food Program

• Failure to act with integrity and impartiality

• Failure to act with accountability and transparency

• Failure to uphold laws

Impact: breach of UN sanctions, undermining of public confidence


Ethical failure

Insert agency example


Putting the Conceptual Frameworkinto Practice

Structure – Culture – Strategy


STRUCTUREin practice


Reform accountabilities for SES

• Gifts and benefits

• Declaration of interests

• Lobbyist register

• Employment separation procedures

• Interaction with ministerial staff

• Ethics advisory service

• Public Interest Disclosures

• Discipline processes


Reform accountabilities for SES

Reforms to the State Procurement Policy

from 1 July 2011, publication of:

• details of awarded contracts over $10,000

• contracts over $10 million

Independent oversight of procurement

Legislation to allow issuing of apologies


Reform accountabilities for SES Code of Conduct

for the Queensland Public Service

positive expression of the values that underpin effective public service

Principles - 4 ethics principlesValues - strengthening the principlesStandards of conduct – help us put the Code into practice


Reform accountabilities for SES Ethics training

Legislative commitment for

annual mandatory ethics training

• Workshop for CEOs conducted

• Training continued here and for all SES

• Support training in ethics and ethical decision-making for all staff


CULTUREin practice


‘The public sector is held to an ethical standard not demanded of others.

It must recognise the distinctive nature of its contribution to the public good

and meet a demanding accountability regime.’

(Shergold)


Ethical decision-making

‘..possibly the most important act of courage for a public servant is to decide.’

‘Public administrators must be able to face the ambiguity and the paradoxical nature of ethics without being immobilised by them.’

(Lynch and Lynch, 2009)


Ethics advice

Your peers

Your agency ethics, human resources area, or legal area

• PSC Ethics Advisory Service1300 038 472 www.ethics.qld.gov.au

• Crime and Misconduct Commission: 3360 6060 www.cmc.qld.gov.au


STRATEGY in practice


Leadership‘A robust integrity system requires a public sector that emphasises strong leadership … and a conscious dedication to ethical values … Leaders must communicate the importance of ethical decision-making in the workplace and they must promote ethical behaviours in their day-to-day activities and decisions.’

(Government response to Integrity and Accountability in Queensland, 2009)

‘Ethics must be part of mission and business strategy … not just a matter of appointing an ethics officer or ethics committee.’

(Transparency International Australia)


Discussion questions

• How do you embed ethics into your organisations?

• What are the challenges?

• What approach will you take to develop an integrated response to the integrity and accountability reforms?


Discussion question

‘..a healthy organisational culture actively promotes congruence between the values of the organisations and the individuals working in it.’

(Casali and Day, 2010)

What are the values of your organisation and how do you ensure they are reflected in strategy and culture?


Performance Commitment

Research shows - ethical conduct in public administration increases employee morale

Leaders must • communicate the importance of ethical

decision-making, and • promote ethical behaviour in their day-to-

day activities and decisions


Conclusion

Where to from here…

What will YOU do

to institutionalise ethics?

Www.ethics.qld.gov.au SES Ethics Workshop. Compliance or Culture How to institutionalise ethics in public administration.

Documents

government slide

public administration

strategy slide

structure slide

public sector integrity

ses ethics workshop

transparency slide

disclosure act ethics