Accountability and reporting

Our customer service charter outlines our commitment to our customers.

Our customer promise

Our cost recovery implementation statement shows how we cover some of the costs of administering IP rights.

Senate Order for entity contracts

The Senate Order for entity contracts requires entities to develop an internet listing twice a year that identifies contracts entered into during the preceding calendar or financial year, valued at or above $100,000 (GST inclusive), along with details relating to each of those contracts.

Our Senate Order report is available at AusTender.

Public officials can use the public interest disclosure (PID) scheme to report suspected wrongdoing in the Australian public sector. 

The scheme facilitates the investigation of wrongdoing and maladministration in the Commonwealth public sector and protects disclosers and others from reprisal. The Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 (PID Act) underpins the PID scheme.

Examples of wrongdoing

• suspected illegal conduct under a Commonwealth, State or Territory law
• corruption - PIDs involving serious or systemic corruption issues may be referred by our agency to The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
• maladministration
• abuse of public trust
• scientific research deception like fabrication, falsification or plagiarism
• wasting public money or wastage of public property
• unreasonable danger to health and safety
• conduct that is a danger to the environment
• abuse of position
• conduct which may be grounds for disciplinary action resulting in termination of a person’s engagement or appointment.

Who can make a PID

Generally, a discloser must be a current or former public official of the Commonwealth. This includes:

• public servants (ongoing, non-ongoing and casual)
• parliamentary service employees
• service providers under a Commonwealth contract
• statutory office holders
• staff of Commonwealth companies
• temporary employees engaged through a recruitment agency
• people deemed to be a public official by an authorised officer.

Protections provided to a discloser and others under the PID Act

The person making the PID, called the ‘discloser’, and other public officials involved gain certain protections.

• The discloser and witnesses are immune from civil, criminal and administrative liability (including disciplinary action) that might otherwise arise from making the disclosure or participating in the investigation. This does not apply if the person knowingly makes a statement that is false or misleading, or for a disclosure involving their own conduct.
• The discloser and others are also protected from reprisal actions or threats of reprisal action as a result of a PID, such as being dismissed, other injuries to their employment and damage to the person’s property, reputation, business or financial position. IP Australia has a duty to protect disclosers and other public officials that belong to IP Australia from reprisals. Disclosers and other public officials should raise any concerns about reprisal action with an authorised officer so the risk can be managed. 

The discloser’s identity must be kept confidential. The discloser should be careful to not act in a way that is inconsistent with keeping their identity confidential, such as identifying themselves as a discloser to persons who are not involved in the management of the PID. 

A discloser must make the PID following the process below to ensure that the protections apply.

Who can make a PID

Who to report to

To gain the protection of the PID Act you must disclose your concerns to an authorised person.

You can make a PID about our agency by contacting an authorised officer. Our authorised officers are the Director General and the Deputy Director General

You can also make a PID through a supervisor, if you’re an IP Australia staff member, and they will pass it on to an authorised officer.

The PID scheme is designed to facilitate internal disclosures and investigations. In limited circumstances, you may want to make a PID to someone outside the Australian Government. If you're considering making such a disclosure, it is important to seek independent legal advice to see if you are protected under the Act.

What information to include

You don’t have to follow a specific format to make a disclosure.
A disclosure can be made:

• anonymously or openly (if you choose to remain anonymous it may limit our ability to investigate the disclosure)
• orally (in person or by phone)
• in writing (by email or hardcopy).

Our agency prefers PIDs in writing. Please try to cover the following information in your PID:

• your name and contact details (although you may choose to remain anonymous)
• details of the alleged wrongdoing
• who you think committed the alleged wrongdoing
• when and where the alleged wrongdoing occurred
• any relevant evidence surrounding the alleged wrongdoing
• whether you did anything in response to the alleged wrongdoing
• others who know about the alleged wrongdoing and any action they have taken
• whether you believe your information is a PID under the PID Act
• if you’re concerned about possible reprisals as a result of making your disclosure
• if you have any supporting correspondence or documentation and if you can provide copies.

Please do not attempt to investigate the allegations yourself or to obtain information which you do not have authorisation to access in your day-to-day duties.

After you make a PID

Our Director General decides how the PID scheme operates in our agency. Read details in the PID procedure: