Five years as Integrity Commissioner: a retrospective

Speaker:
The Hon. Gary Crooke QC
Queensland Integrity Commissioner

Abstract:
The role of the Queensland Integrity Commissioner is somewhat unique in public administration.

The Integrity Commissioner answers requests for advice from ‘designated persons’, such as politicians, senior public servants and statutory office holders. There is no proactive or investigatory function. Essentially, the requests are confined to matters relating to conflicts of interest, but in the case of the Premier, there is a broader remit where advice may be sought on any matter involving ethics or integrity.

The process is attended by confidentiality. The Integrity Commissioner must keep secret any request or advice whilst the recipient of the advice is at liberty to publish it or not as he or she sees fit.

This presentation involves a retrospective of the Hon. Gary Crooke QC’s five years as Integrity Commissioner focusing upon issues which continually arose and may well be issues common to many jurisdictions.

The presentation will address such challenges as the receipt of gifts, post-separation employment and the proper use of public funds. It will also discuss the appropriate test for an unacceptable conflict of interest and pitfalls in relation thereto.