Stopline is an independent, easy to use, reporting service. It is for employees and contractors to raise concerns around unethical workplace behaviour by an IBAC employee, contractor or consultant. This includes:

• Breaches of policy or procedure, or the Code of conduct for Victorian public sector employees
• Workplace bullying, harassment, and discrimination
• Sexual harassment

Raising concerns around workplace behaviour is not always easy, and some employees may not be comfortable raising issues with their manager or other IBAC employees. Stopline is an independent alternate channel to report misconduct. It allows reports to be made anonymously if you prefer not to be identified.

IBAC employees should first raise concerns with their supervisor, People, Culture & Capability or a senior leader or contact officer. Please refer to IBAC’s policies on Managing Misconduct and Resolution of Grievances for further information. These policies are available in the Policy Centre on IBAC’s intranet The Source.

If you are not comfortable using one of these reporting points, Stopline is available to all IBAC employees and contractors to report concerns relating to IBAC employees, contractors and consultants.

Any reports that are Public Interest DisclosuresA PID, or Public Interest Disclosure, refers to the disclosure made by a natural person of information that either shows or tends to show, or information that they reasonably believe shows or tends to show, that a person, public officer, or public body has engaged, is engaging, or proposes to engage in improper conduct. Alternatively, it can refer to situations where a public officer or public body has taken, is taking, or proposes to take detrimental action against a person. In essence, a PID is a disclosure that serves the public interest by exposing behavior that goes against ethical and legal standards. under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2012 should be made directly to Integrity Oversight Victoria.

Reports can be made through Stopline via telephone, email, online portal or mail.

You can contact Stopline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can use the (online portal link) or contact them by:

• Telephone: 1300 30 45 50
• Email: [email protected]
• Post: IBAC, c/o Stopline, PO Box 403, Diamond Creek, VIC 3089, Australia

The trained staff at Stopline will receive your report, anonymously if you wish. They will work with you to understand the nature of the misconduct. It is important to provide as much relevant information as possible so that your report can be effectively assessed and acted on.

Stopline is an Australian company which specialises in providing integrity/whistleblowing services. It has been operating for over a decade and assists listed and private companies, local, state and Commonwealth public sector bodies and not-for-profit organisations. Further details are available at www.stopline.com.au

You can report to Stopline either:

• completely anonymously
• with your details known to Stopline but not provided to IBAC or
• with your details being provided to IBAC, with your consent.

Stopline will provide your report to IBAC’s CEO, the Director of People, Culture and Capability, and the Executive Director of Legal.  If your report relates to one of these executives, that executive will not be advised of the report and will not be involved in the triage process.

The report will then be triaged in line with IBAC policies and procedures. Please refer to IBAC’s policies on Managing Misconduct and Resolution of Grievances for further information on how your complaint will be handled once it is received by IBAC. These policies are available in the Policy Centre on IBAC’s intranet The Source.

If you provide your details to Stopline, you will be informed about how your report will be handled, timeframes and any actions or outcomes, where possible. Due to privacy restrictions and the need to protect the integrity of investigations, sometimes the details of outcomes may not be provided, especially if your report involves another individual.

All reports made to Stopline are professionally managed by trained Stopline staff. In Stopline’s experience, vexatious reports are very rare. Reports or allegations considered trivial, frivolous or vexatious will be passed on to IBAC but are unlikely to be investigated.

As a public sector employee, you have an obligation to report wrongdoing.

If you make a report, all reasonable care will be provided to protect you from any reprisal or detrimental action. However, if you are also involved in the wrongdoing, that conduct will be assessed under IBAC policies in the usual manner.

To be assessed as a Public Interest DisclosuresA PID, or Public Interest Disclosure, refers to the disclosure made by a natural person of information that either shows or tends to show, or information that they reasonably believe shows or tends to show, that a person, public officer, or public body has engaged, is engaging, or proposes to engage in improper conduct. Alternatively, it can refer to situations where a public officer or public body has taken, is taking, or proposes to take detrimental action against a person. In essence, a PID is a disclosure that serves the public interest by exposing behavior that goes against ethical and legal standards. and receive protections under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2012, reports must be made directly to Integrity Oversight Victoria.

Refer to section 4 Meaning of Improper Conduct in the Public Interest Disclosures Act at the following link: Public Interest Disclosures Act 2012 (legislation.vic.gov.au)

 Meaning of improper conduct (1) For the purposes of this Act, improper conduct means— (a) corrupt conduct; or (b) conduct of a public officer or public body engaged in by the public officer or public body in their capacity as a public officer or a public body that constitutes— (i) a criminal offence; or (ii) serious professional misconduct; or (iii) dishonest performance of public functions; or (iv) an intentional or reckless breach of public trust; or S. 3 def. of Victoria Police insertedby No. 37/2014 s. 10(Sch. item 134.1(a)). S. 3 def. of Victoria Police employee insertedby No. 37/2014 s. 10(Sch. item 134.1(a)). S. 4(1) substitutedby No. 2/2019 s. 7(1). Authorised by the Chief Parliamentary Counsel Part 1—Preliminary Public Interest Disclosures Act 2012 No. 85 of 2012 11 (v) an intentional or reckless misuse of information or material acquired in the course of the performance of the functions of the public officer or public body; or (vi) a substantial mismanagement of public resources; or (vii) a substantial risk to the health or safety of one or more persons; or (viii) a substantial risk to the environment; or (c) conduct of any person that— (i) adversely affects the honest performance by a public officer or public body of their functions as a public officer or public body; or (ii) is intended to adversely affect the effective performance or exercise by a public officer or public body of the functions or powers of the public officer or public body and results in the person, or an associate of the person, obtaining— (A) a licence, permit, approval, authority or other entitlement under any Act or subordinate instrument; or (B) an appointment to a statutory office or as a member of the board of any public body under any Act or subordinate instrument; or (C) a financial benefit or real or personal property; or Authorised by the Chief Parliamentary Counsel Part 1—Preliminary Public Interest Disclosures Act 2012 No. 85 of 2012 12 (D) any other direct or indirect monetary or proprietary gain— that the person or associate would not have otherwise obtained; or (d) conduct of any person that could constitute a conspiracy or attempt to engage in any of the conduct referred to in paragraph (a), (b) or (c). (2) Despite subsection (1), conduct that is trivial does not constitute improper conduct for the purposes of this Act