Policy_

Report wrongdoing

At the University of Sydney, we are committed to a culture of speaking up about wrongdoing. If you witness or become aware of possible wrongdoing, we encourage you to report it.

We will protect those who speak up from detriment in line with our Reporting Wrongdoing Policy and legislation, take active steps to maintain the confidentiality of reports and take appropriate action to investigate and deal with wrongdoing.

The University has updated our Reporting Wrongdoing Policy to reflect the requirements of the NSW Public Interest Disclosures Act 2022. Our Reporting Wrongdoing Policy and the Public Interest Disclosures Act take effect from 1 October 2023.

At the University, wrongdoing refers to instances when a staff member or an affiliate may be involved in corrupt conduct, serious maladministration, government information contravention, privacy contravention or serious and substantial waste of public money.

Possible examples of serious wrongdoing include:

  • Corrupt conduct: Giving or accepting bribes; fraudulent invoicing; misappropriation of grant funds. 
  • Serious maladministration: Systemically failing to comply with recruitment processes when hiring staff; making a decision based on an improper motive.
  • Government information contravention: Destroying, concealing or altering records to avoid releasing them under a Government Information Public Access Act application. 
  • Privacy contravention: Using research data for marketing purposes; sharing personal information without authority. See the Privacy Policy 2017
  • Serious and substantial waste of public money: By-passing mandatory market testing or tender requirements when making large contractual expenditures. 
  • The Public Interest Disclosures Act sets out the criteria required for a report to be a public interest disclosure. These include that the report:
  • Must be made by a public official – for example, you: 
    • Are employed by the University; or 
    • Are a contractor, subcontractor, volunteer or affiliate providing services on behalf of the University; or 
    • Work for an entity that is contracted by the University to provide services on its behalf.
  • Must relate to one or more types of serious wrongdoing (corrupt conduct; serious maladministration; government information contravention; privacy contravention; and/or serious and substantial waste of public money)
  • Must be made to the reporter’s manager or a designated disclosure officer
  • Must be based on an honest and reasonable belief.

If a report is a public interest disclosure, the Public Interest Disclosures Act provides certain protections for the reporter. More details are in the University’s Reporting Wrongdoing Policy.

Anyone who suspects wrongdoing has occurred may report it to the University.

The University will take all reasonable steps to protect the reporter's identity, provided this does not hinder any investigation. The University does not tolerate detrimental action being threatened or taken against a person involved in a report of wrongdoing.

Some reports will qualify as public interest disclosures. Public interest disclosures are entitled to specific protections under the Public Interest Disclosures Act 2022.

The University's Reporting Wrongdoing Policy provides further information. 

If you witness or become aware of one of the types of wrongdoing set out in the Policy, then you should report it to Internal Audit, one of the University’s disclosure officers or, if you are a staff member, to your manager.

Reports can be made to the University's Internal Audit team:

Reports can also be made:

  • To a disclosure officer, who is a nominated person responsible for acting as an additional point of contact for making reports. Disclosure officers will pass your report on to Internal Audit for assessment.
  • To your manager if you are a staff member at the University. Under the Reporting Wrongdoing Policy and Public Interest Disclosures Act 2022, managers have a responsibility to treat reports of wrongdoing confidentially and refer them promptly to Internal Audit.

You may choose to make a report orally or in writing.

You may also choose to make a report anonymously or non-anonymously. Making a report anonymously may limit the University’s ability to investigate the matter effectively and will mean that you cannot be informed of the outcome of any investigation.

Reports should include:

  • A short description of the conduct that constitutes the alleged wrongdoing;
  • Where and when key events took place;
  • Names, roles and titles of people involved; and
  • How each person is involved.

We take the issue of confidentiality seriously and reports of wrongdoing are treated confidentially. The University will take all reasonable steps to protect the identity of a reporter, provided that this does not hinder any investigation.

The reporter should also take all reasonable steps to maintain the confidentiality of their report.

The University’s Reporting Wrongdoing Policy provides more details.

Your report will be referred to Internal Audit to consider whether it is a public interest disclosure under the Public Interest Disclosure Act and to determine next steps. This might involve:

  • An assessment or investigation by Internal Audit.
  • Referral to another area of the University such as the Human Resources, Privacy or Cyber Security teams.

Read more in the University’s Reporting Wrongdoing Policy.

The University will take all reasonable steps to protect the reporter’s identity, provided this does not hinder any investigation.

The University does not tolerate detrimental action being threatened or taken against a person involved in a report of wrongdoing. The University will take all reasonable steps to stop identified detrimental action and protect the person subjected to it.

Detrimental action does not include reasonable management action and other lawful actions.

More information is provided in the University’s Reporting Wrongdoing Policy.

Some, but not all, reports will be public interest disclosures. Public interest disclosures are entitled to specific protections under the Public Interest Disclosures Act and the University’s Reporting Wrongdoing Policy.

Anyone who manages staff or is a designated disclosure officer has an important role to play under our commitment to a culture of speaking up about wrongdoing. If you receive a report of wrongdoing, it’s critical that you treat it confidentially and refer it promptly to Internal Audit.

It is important that you do the following if you receive a report of wrongdoing or serious wrongdoing: 

  • Don’t jump to conclusions. 
  • Make a confidential formal record of the report.
  • Emphasise the need for strict confidentiality – by the University and also by the reporter. 
  • Give the person making the report details of the University’s welfare support contacts – see Schedule 1 of the Reporting Wrongdoing Policy
  • Refer the report to Internal Audit as soon as possible.

Details of manager’s and disclosure officer’s roles and responsibilities are set out in the Reporting Wrongdoing Policy.

If you have any questions you can also contact Internal Audit by email internal.audit@sydney.edu.au or call the Chief Internal Audit Officer on 02 8627 4991.

The University’s designated disclosure officers are listed below.

 

You can make a report to any of the disclosure officers listed, not just those who work at the University site or campus where you are based.

 

Position Name Work email Phone Campus/Site
Chief Internal Audit Officer Alison Hamill alison.hamill@sydney.edu.au +61 2 8627 4991 Camperdown/ Darlington
General Counsel Olivia Perks olivia.perks@sydney.edu.au +61 2 9351 4152 Camperdown/ Darlington
Director, Employment Workplace Relations and Administrative Law in the Office of General Counsel Ashley Fry ashley.fry@sydney.edu.au +61 2 8627 0740 Camperdown/ Darlington
Director Workplace Relations Jodi Dickson jodi.dickson@sydney.edu.au +61 2 8627 4183 Camperdown/ Darlington
Senior Manager Workplace Behaviour and Conduct Naomi Connolly naomi.connolly@sydney.edu.au +61 2 8627 6462 Camperdown/ Darlington
Senior Manager Industrial Relations Tamara Talmacs tamara.talmacs@sydney.edu.au +61 2 8627 7748 Camperdown/ Darlington
Manager Archives and Records Management Services Dr Kate Cumming kate.cumming@sydney.edu.au +61 2 9351 4263 Camperdown/ Darlington
Head of School and Dean Professor Anna Reid anna.reid@sydney.edu.au +61 2 9351 1255 Sydney Conservatorium of Music
Co-Director Health and Policy Professor Ian Hickie AM ian.hickie@sydney.edu.au +61 2 9351 0810 Mallet Street Campusepu
Deputy Executive Dean (Westmead) Professor Annemarie Hennessy annemarie.hennessy@sydney.edu.au   Westmead campus
Head of Clinical School Professor Stephen Twigg stephen.twigg@sydney.edu.au +61 2 8627 1890 Central Clinical School (Royal Prince Alfred Hospital)
Chief Operating Officer Rod Gilroy rod.gilroy@sydney.edu.au   Northern Clinical School (Kolling Institute)
Lecturer Dr Elina Gourlas elina.gourlas@sydney.edu.au +61 2 9036 4272 Northern Clinical School (Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital)
Director Academic Professor Richard Trethowan richard.trethowan@sydney.edu.au +61 2 9351 8860 Camden campus
Head of School and Dean Professor Heiko Spallek heiko.spallek@sydney.edu.au +61 2 8627 7750 Sydney Dental Hospital
Associate Director Management and Executive Education Joanna Bishop joanna.bishop@sydney.edu.au +61 2 9351 7904 Sydney CBD Campus
Head of Rural Clinical School Professor Vicki Flood vicki.flood@sydney.edu.au +61 2 6620 7231 The University Centre for Rural Health
Professor of Ophthalmology & Eye Health Professor Peter McCluskey peter.mccluskey@sydney.edu.au +61 2 9382 7300 Sydney Eye Hospital (including Save Sight Institute)
Director Law Extension Committee Joanna Ernenwein joanna.ernenwein@sydney.edu.au +61 2 8089 1950 Law Extension Committee Macquarie Street Sydney
Head of Clinical School Professor Stephen Fuller stephen.fuller@sydney.edu.au +61 2 4734 3732 Nepean Clinical School
Head of University Department of Rural Health - Broken Hill Professor Debra Jones debra.jones@sydney.edu.au +61 8 8080 1239 The Broken Hill University Department of Rural Health
Director – North West Charlene Noye charlene.noye@sydney.edu.au   The Broken Hill University Department of Rural Health - North West Academic Centre
Director – South West Danielle White danielle.white@sydney.edu.au   The Broken Hill University Department of Rural Health – South West Academic Centre
Head of Clinical School Professor Mark Cooper mark.cooper@sydney.edu.au +61 2 9767 6842 Concord Clinical School
Head of Rural Clinical School Professor Catherine Hawke catherine.hawke@sydney.edu.au +61 2 5310 4104 The School of Rural Health - Dubbo campus
Head of Rural Clinical School Professor Catherine Hawke catherine.hawke@sydney.edu.au +61 2 5310 4104 The School of Rural Health - Orange campus
Director of Northern Region Agriculture Associate Professor Guy Roth guy.roth@sydney.edu.au +61 2 6799 2202 Plant Breeding Institute - Narrabri
Manager Rural Operations Stephen Burgun stephen.burgun@sydney.edu.au +61 2 4884 1514 Arthursleigh Farm
Senior Technical Officer Northwest Research Stations (Nowley) Amanda Nash a.nash@sydney.edu.au   Nowley Farm/EJ Holtsbaum Agricultural Research Institute
Station Manager Heinrich Breuer science.onetree@sydney.edu.au +61 7 4972 9691 One Tree Island
Supervising Psychologist (Gambleaware) Carmen Iancu carmen.iancu@sydney.edu.au   Gambling Treatment Clinic Macquarie Street Parramatta
Chief Executive Officer Lindsay Gillan lindsay.gillan@sydney.edu.au +61 2 8890 7039 Westmead Fertility Centre
Director China Strategy and Engagement Michael Milne michael.milne@sydney.edu.au   Centre in China in Suzhou
Director Australian Archaeological Institute at Athens Professor Tamar Hodos tamar.hodos@sydney.edu.au   Australian Archaeological Institute at Athens
Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Mark Scott AO vice.chancellor@sydney.edu.au +61 2 9351 5051 Camperdown/ Darlington
Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Annamarie Jagose annamarie.jagose@sydney.edu.au   Camperdown/ Darlington
Chancellor Belinda Hutchinson AC chancellor@sydney.edu.au +61 2 9351 5701 Camperdown/ Darlington
Fellow of Senate Richard Freudenstein fellows.senate@sydney.edu.au   Camperdown/ Darlington
Fellow of Senate Dr Lisa McIntyre fellows.senate@sydney.edu.au   Camperdown/ Darlington
Fellow of Senate Jason Yat-sen Li fellows.senate@sydney.edu.au   Camperdown/ Darlington
Fellow of Senate Karen Moses fellows.senate@sydney.edu.au   Camperdown/ Darlington
Fellow of Senate Emeritus Professor Alan Pettigrew fellows.senate@sydney.edu.au   Camperdown/ Darlington
Fellow of Senate Peter Scott fellows.senate@sydney.edu.au   Camperdown/ Darlington
Fellow of Senate Professor Jane Hanrahan fellows.senate@sydney.edu.au   Camperdown/ Darlington
Fellow of Senate Professor Ben Saul fellows.senate@sydney.edu.au   Camperdown/ Darlington
Fellow of Senate Professor Renae Ryan AM fellows.senate@sydney.edu.au   Camperdown/ Darlington
Fellow of Senate Rebecca Ward fellows.senate@sydney.edu.au   Camperdown/ Darlington
Fellow of Senate Benjamin Jorgensen fellows.senate@sydney.edu.au   Camperdown/ Darlington
Fellow of Senate Yinfeng (Benny) Shen fellows.senate@sydney.edu.au   Camperdown/ Darlington

 

Submit a report online

If you witness or become aware of possible wrongdoing, you can report it to Internal Audit by completing this form.

The University understands that you may not wish to provide personal details about yourself. We respect your privacy. Please be aware that If you make an anonymous report, the University may be limited in the support we can provide you with and it will not be possible to provide you with information about any outcomes resulting from your report.

Privacy collection notice

Any personal information you give us will be protected and kept in accordance with our Privacy Policy 2017 and Privacy Procedures 2018

The information you provide will be stored in the University's record keeping system and will be used to investigate and respond to your report. Information will be kept confidential.

The University may be required or authorised by law to disclose any personal information you provide us with to law enforcement or integrity agencies. We will not otherwise disclose the personal information outside the University without your express consent or except as permitted by law, the Public Interest Disclosures Act and the University’s Reporting Wrongdoing Policy.

Next Steps

Thank you for taking the time to complete this form. Once you click Submit Form your report will be sent to Internal Audit who will contact you within 5 business days if you have provided your contact details.

To amend or withdraw your report after it has been submitted, please contact Internal Audit internal.audit@sydney.edu.au.