Government Law Series 2024: Unveiling Transparency: NSW’S Anti-Corruption Landscape and the Role of NACC
Join us to unravel the complexities of anti-corruption measures in New South Wales. Hear insights from NSW ICAC about it’s recent investigation report and it’s maturity model. Learn how to write an Agency’s compliance program for the National Anti-Corruption Commission Act and tips for planning and conducting internal administrative inquiries. WEB243N58CZ
Description
Attend and earn 2 CPD units in Substantive Law
This program is based on NSW legislation
Chair: Amy Douglas-Baker, Barrister at Fourth Floor Selborne Chambers
2.00pm to 3.00pm Corruption and Integrity: NSW ICAC Insights from its Recent Investigation Reports and its Corruption Control Maturity Publications
- Recent ICAC investigation reports, including an overview of:
- corrupt conduct findings made
- corruption prevention issues identified\
- ICAC corruption maturity model including the:
- pillars of controls and how they work together in mature corruption control
- supporting systems and processes, and how they allow these pillars to be implemented effectively and efficiently
Presented by Dr Benjamin Marx, Principal Officer, Corruption Prevention, NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption
3.00pm to 4.00pm The Future of Integrity: Navigating the National Anti-Corruption Commission's Blueprint
- Designing an Agency’s compliance program for the National Anti-Corruption Commission Act
- Planning and conducting internal administrative inquiries when serious or systemic corrupt conduct is suspected
- Reporting suspected serious or systemic corrupt conduct to the NACC,
- Consequences for a failure to report
- Responding to a stop-action direction from the NACC
- Compelling participation by witnesses in interviews
- The production of information during an Agency’s internal inquiry,
- Witness objections and protections
- The relevance of secrecy obligations and the Privacy Act 1988 during an inquiry
Presented by Dr Stephen Gordon Thompson, Special Counsel, Sparke Helmore; Accredited Specialist in Government and Administrative Law
Presenters
Amy Douglas-Baker
Amy Douglas-Baker was called to the Bar in 2009 and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons), Bachelor of Laws (Hons), and Master of Laws (Hons Eq) from the University of Sydney. Prior to commencing practice as a barrister, Amy was a Tipstaff/Researcher to Justice Hall in the Supreme Court of New South Wales and an Associate to Judge Nicholls in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. Amy practises in public/administrative law and commercial/equity and has extensive experience in inquests, commissions of inquiry, professional disciplinary proceedings, judicial and merits review and on applications for suppression and protective orders involving matters of public interest immunity and protected information. Amy regularly appears for and advises the Registrar-General of NSW, the NSW Crime Commission, the NSW Commissioner of Police, the NSW Commissioner for Fair Trading, the NSW Commissioner of Corrective Services, the Office of the Children’s Guardian and the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia in civil and criminal matters. Amy is a member of the Constitutional and Administrative Law Section of the NSW Bar Association, the Australian Association of Constitutional Law, and the Australian Institute of Administrative Law. Amy served on a Professional Conduct Committee of the NSW Bar Association for 8 consecutive years and has served on numerous other Bar Association committees including as an officer-holder.
Benjamin Marx
Benjamin Marx commenced in ICAC’s Corruption Prevention division in 2006. He has managed or led many ICAC corruption prevention projects, including those on employment screening, invoice payment controls, IT contractors and NGO-delivered human services. He is also currently managing the ICAC CP in Practice project that is examining how corruption control is implemented within NSW state government agencies. Dr Marx has also performed or managed corruption prevention analysis on over 20 ICAC investigations, led many internal analyses of ICAC complaint data, and currently manages ICAC’s program of speaking engagements and training workshops. In 2020, he returned to ICAC from an 18-month secondment to Transport for NSW where he was responsible for TfNSW’s fraud and corruption prevention program. Prior to working at ICAC, he completed a PhD in Psychology at the University of Sydney that explored some of the cognitive and attitudinal elements of moral reasoning, having previously conducted research on relative risk judgements.
Dr Stephen Gordon Thompson
Dr Stephen Thompson is a special counsel with Sparke Helmore, solicitors. He is an accredited specialist in public and administrative law in NSW and practices exclusively in that area. He is a legal officer in the Army Reserve practising in military administrative law.