The Public Interest Disclosure (PID Act) established a scheme that encourages and facilitates the disclosure of public interest information to certain persons or authorities; this information is a public interest disclosure. It provides protections for those who make appropriate disclosures of public interest information and sets out processes for dealing with those disclosures.

The Public Interest Disclosure Act protects informants from civil or criminal liability for making appropriate disclosures of public interest information, which are defined as:

• Environmental and Health Information - where there is substantial risk to the environment or to public health and safety.
• Public Administration Information - where there is a potential issue of corruption, misconduct or maladministration in public administration.

Protections are provided for public officers who make an appropriate disclosure of public administration information and for all persons who make an appropriate disclosure of environmental and health information.

Disclosure means an appropriate disclosure of public interest information made by an Informant to a Relevant Authority.

A person makes an appropriate disclosure of Environmental and Health information if:

• The person:
  • Believes on reasonable grounds that the information is true; or
  • Is not in a position to form a belief on reasonable grounds about the truth of the information, but believes on reasonable grounds that the information may be true and is of sufficient significance to justify its disclosure so that its truth may be investigated; and
• The disclosure is made to a Relevant Authority

A person makes an appropriate disclosure of Public Administration Information if:

• The person:
  • Is a public officer;
  • Reasonably suspects that the information raises a potential issue of corruption, misconduct or maladministration in public administration; and
• The disclosure is made to a Relevant Authority

Relevant Authority means the person or entity that receives an appropriate disclosure of public interest information in accordance with the Public Interest Disclosure Act. Please refer to Section 5(5) of the PID Act for a list of Relevant Authorities that can receive disclosures.

Where an appropriate disclosure is made to a relevant authority, the informant will be protected from all liability, despite of secrecy or confidentiality or any other restriction on disclosure (statutory or otherwise) which would otherwise apply.

A Public Interest Disclosure can be made either verbally, or in writing via hard copy, post or email. The disclosure being submitted must be clearly marked “Private and Confidential" and addressed to one of the responsible officers listed below:

City of Port Lincoln Responsible Officers

• General Manager Corporate & Community – David Levey
• Manager Governance & Communication – Lynne Jolley
• Governance Officer – Lisa Clements

Disclosures can be made to City of Port Lincoln Responsible Officers by:

Email: pid@plcc.sa.gov.au

Phone: (08) 8621 2300 (request to be transferred to a Responsible Officer)

In writing to:

Private and Confidential – Public Interest Disclosure
City of Port Lincoln
Attention: Responsible Officer
PO Box 1787
PORT LINCOLN SA 5606