In Principle
Senior staff need high standards
A respected and trusted public sector is a vital component of a robust community. If the community is to have confidence in the sector, public sector employees must act and be seen to act with integrity. This is especially important for people who hold senior leadership positions.
Chief executive officers (CEOs) of public sector agencies depend heavily on their senior staff to act with the highest possible ethical standards. CEOs can only run agencies effectively if they can delegate to senior employees and trust that these employees will maintain high levels of integrity. Where that trust is breached, the reputation of the agency is at risk.
OPSSC Parliamentary Series Report Five highlights the need for people in senior leadership positions to maintain the highest levels of integrity in their professional dealings. The report details the outcome of OPSSC's investigation into alleged improper practice at a government department. Of particular concern was that a senior staff member at the department appeared to have been involved in matters of non-compliance.
Discussing conduct and compliance: Stephanie Boyd and Martin Clifford from OPSSC discuss conduct requirements and Parliamentary Series Report Five.
Commissioner for Public Sector Standards Dr Ruth Shean said that when individuals who are appointed to senior public sector positions do not act with integrity the reputation of the whole sector is at risk. "Senior staff in government agencies have an obligation to honour the charge they carry of both duty and trust," Dr Shean said.
"They must maintain high standards of ethical behaviour and act with integrity at all times. To do otherwise damages not only their own reputation, but can also impact on the reputation of their colleagues, their agency, and the public sector in general."
Dr Shean said the report also highlights the importance of internal audit processes in public sector agencies."Internal audit is a significant part of the overall governance framework of public sector agencies.
"It is important that serious consideration is given to understanding the risk profile of agencies. The capacity and capability of internal audit to exercise a level of engagement and scrutiny that matches the agency risk profile then needs to be given consideration.
"This applies equally, regardless of whether the internal audit function is conducted by in-house resources or via a contracted provider."