Crime and Corruption and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2017

Overview

This bill broadens what counts as 'corrupt conduct' in Queensland and gives the Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) wider powers to investigate corruption, including conduct by people outside the public sector. It also forces the CCC to give people a chance to respond before publishing damaging findings about them, and cleans up the disciplinary rules for officers moving between the CCC, public service, ambulance and fire services.

Who it affects

Public servants, government contractors, and private individuals dealing with Queensland government agencies face a wider net for corruption investigations. People named in CCC reports gain new procedural fairness rights, and the CCC itself gets stronger investigative and disclosure powers.

Key changes

• The definition of corrupt conduct now covers people outside the public sector who engage in collusive tendering, licence or permit fraud, dishonestly obtaining public funds, evading State tax, or fraudulently getting a public sector job
• The CCC can now investigate conduct that could lead to or is connected with corruption, not just corruption itself
• The CCC must give you a chance to respond before publishing adverse comments about you in a public report
• The time to apply to QCAT to review a CCC decision is extended from 14 days to 28 days
• The CCC can require units of public administration to keep records when they decide not to report a suspected corruption matter
• Disciplinary history can be shared between the CCC, public service, ambulance service and fire service when officers move between them
• The CCC can no longer refer investigation briefs directly to the Director of Public Prosecutions for prosecution