On the edge of the slope: behavioural risks

Speaker:
Narelle George
Adviser, Misconduct Prevention, Crime and Misconduct Commission

Abstract:
Most of us are aware of the ‘slippery slope’ of corruption, and the negative effects of sliding down it. However how often have we stopped to consider the behaviours that place public officials right on the edge of the slope?

This presentation will explore a number of these behaviours, and how they may come about.

While some ‘edge of the slope’ behaviours may be the result of deliberate intent, others are caused by naivety or ignorance.

Yet in many instances, public officials are placed in this precarious position through other sources beyond the individual. Some ‘edge of the slope’ behaviours may be created through technological or structural imperatives, while others may originate from management decisions or instructions.

For example, a staff member who is required to work an extra 30 minutes beyond the organisation’s bandwidth of work hours may be told to tack on the extra 30 minutes at the beginning of the day on their timesheet, to save the ‘hassle’ of a TOIL application.

Indeed, many ‘edge of the slope’ activities are regularly carried out or fostered by managers and their staff who have no idea that they are putting themselves or others at risk.

Moreover, while many of these activities may be ‘within the rules’, they carry with them an implicit message that can tip the public official over the edge and onto the slope itself.