Integrity and accountability

The Queensland Government has recently completed a comprehensive program of legislative and administrative integrity and accountability reform with the passage of the Integrity Reform Bills 2010. The legislative reforms consisted of:

• the Ministerial and Other Office Holder Staff Act 2010 which creates a new framework for the employment of Ministerial and Opposition staff separate from the public service;
• the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2010 which replaces and reforms the Whistleblowers Protection Act 1994 (PDF, 429 KB); and
• the Integrity Reform (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2010 which amends various Acts to reform and improve Queensland’s integrity and accountability framework.

The government’s first stage of reform was implemented through the Integrity Act 2009 which implemented Australia’s first legislative regime for the regulation of the lobbying industry and banned the payment of success fees. This Act commenced on 1 January 2010.

These commitments for reform were detailed in the ‘Response to Integrity and Accountability in Queensland’ released on 10 November 2009. The response outlined a range of legislative and administrative improvements to the integrity and accountability framework to ensure Queensland remains at the forefront of open and accountable government.

• Read the Response to Integrity and Accountability in Queensland (PDF, 413 KB)
• Read the Response to Integrity and Accountability in Queensland (.doc, 737 KB)

The response was developed following consultation on the discussion paper, Integrity and Accountability in Queensland (PDF, 600 KB). The discussion paper was released on 6 August 2009 to prompt public discussion on how Queensland's integrity and accountability framework could be improved and strengthened.

A comprehensive public consultation process was undertaken on the discussion paper, involving public submissions, regional and online forums and advice from a round table of experts.