ICAC strategic plan

							ICAC strategic plan 2008-2012




                      MAY 2009
Contents
Commissioner’s message                2
Our role                              3
Our values                            4
What we can do                        5
What we cannot do                     5
Our key result areas and objectives   6
Accountability and performance        8
Performance measures                  9
         ICAC Strategic Plan 2008-2012          3




ICAC strategic plan 2008-2012

OUR MISSION:

Combat corruption and
improve the integrity of the
NSW public sector




                                         MAY 2009
2                           ICAC Strategic Plan 2008-2012




                  Commissioner’s message

                  The Independent Commission Against Corruption plays an
                  important role in strengthening the integrity of the public
                  sector in NSW.

                  In investigating and preventing corrupt conduct, the ICAC
                  continues to update its skills, resources and systems needed to
                  respond to new and emerging forms of corruption.

                   The Strategic Plan for 2008-2012 incorporates changes made
                   to the Strategic Plan for 2006-2010 relating to the sections on
                   “What the Commission can do” and “What the Commission
    cannot do”, and sets out the objectives of the Commission’s work, its key
    result areas and performance measures.

    The plan provides the framework for the Commission to remain responsive
    and adaptive in its work across the spectrum of investigations, corruption
    prevention and education.

    With the professional skills and dedication of our staff, the Commission will
    continue to expose and minimise corrupt conduct and enhance the integrity
    of the public sector over the next five years.




    The Hon Jerrold Cripps QC
    Commissioner
                        ICAC Strategic Plan 2008-2012                           3




Our role
The ICAC was established to investigate, expose and minimise corruption
in the NSW public sector.

Responsibility for the management of corruption risks rests with individual
organisations. The ICAC directs its attention to serious and systemic
corrupt conduct and takes into account the responsibility and role of other
public officials and authorities in the prevention of corrupt conduct.


We investigate and expose corruption by:

  targeting serious and systemic corruption and corruption opportunities in
  the NSW public sector

  establishing facts and referring matters to others to consider prosecution,
  discipline and preventative actions

  recommending systemic changes to prevent corruption from recurring

  conducting public inquiries and compulsory examinations and producing
  reports on our investigations.


We minimise corruption by:

  proactively identifying and responding to high-risk areas

  giving public sector agencies advice, guidance and information

  reinforcing with each public sector agency its responsibility for
  minimising corruption

  deterring corruption through investigation and public exposure

  promoting an ethical climate so that public sector agencies and
  individuals are encouraged to act against corruption.
Our values
We are committed to certain fundamental values in all our interactions with
public sector agencies, other organisations, individuals and our staff.

Our values are to:

  advance the public interest

  act ethically and with integrity

  be fair, impartial and accountable

  strive for excellence

  be tenacious and professional in pursuing our aim

  respect each other and appropriately support each other with an emphasis
  on teamwork

  preserve the ICAC’s independence.
                         ICAC Strategic Plan 2008-2012                            5




What we can do
  Investigate the conduct of any individual having public official functions
  or acting in a public official capacity in NSW or persons whose conduct
  affects (or could affect) the conduct of public officials – this includes the
  Governor, Members of Parliament, local government (both councillors
  and council staff), judges and magistrates, and employees of NSW
  Government departments and organisations

  make findings of corrupt conduct against individuals in our public
  investigation reports

  obtain the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions with respect to
  prosecuting individuals, or make recommendations that organisations
  consider taking disciplinary action

  use legislative powers to assist in our investigations.



What we cannot do
Unless the NSW public sector is involved, the ICAC does not have power
to investigate:

  private sector matters unless they arise out of dealings with the public
  sector

  issues arising in other States or Territories

  federal parliamentarians, departments or agencies

  matters solely concerning sworn and unsworn police officers.

Even when the NSW public sector is involved, we cannot investigate unless
the allegation relates to suspected corrupt conduct.

The ICAC is not a court. It cannot determine whether people are guilty or
innocent of criminal charges.
6                            ICAC Strategic Plan 2008-2012




    Our key result areas and
    objectives

    K e Y R e S U lt A R e A S        ObjeCtIveS


    1. exposing corruption            a. Detect and investigate corrupt conduct.

                                      b. Identify corruption prevention issues
                                         through investigations.

                                      c. Ensure a best practice approach for all
                                         investigations.

                                      d. Enhance complaint handling processes.

                                      e. Maintain strategic alliances to
                                         optimise investigative and preventative
                                         outcomes.



    2. Preventing corruption          a. Proactively focus our resources, through
                                         the use of Task Groups, on high-risk
                                         organisations and activities.

                                      b. Provide advice, education and training
                                         on corruption prevention to the NSW
                                         public sector.

                                      c. Encourage public reporting of
                                         corruption.
                         ICAC Strategic Plan 2008-2012                         7




K e Y R e S U lt A R e A S        ObjeCtIveS


3. Accountability                 a. Provide timely, accurate and relevant
                                     reporting to the Inspector of the ICAC
                                     and the Parliamentary Committee on
                                     the ICAC.

                                  b. Ensure all business activity complies
                                     with all regulatory and standards
                                     requirements.

                                  c. Report publicly about the work of the
                                     Commission.




4. Our organisation               a. Continue to develop as a learning
                                     organisation that embraces a culture of
                                     continuous improvement, excellence
                                     and sharing of knowledge.

                                  b. Provide a safe, equitable, productive
                                     and satisfying workplace.

                                  c. Be a lead agency in our governance and
                                     corporate infrastructure.

                                  d. Monitor our performance to ensure
                                     work quality and effective resource
                                     management.
8                           ICAC Strategic Plan 2008-2012




    Accountability and performance
    Accountability

    The ICAC is a statutory authority constituted by the Independent
    Commission Against Corruption Act 1988. The ICAC is accountable to the
    Parliament of NSW through the Parliamentary Committee on the ICAC.
    The role of the Committee on the ICAC is to monitor and review the
    ICAC’s activities and published reports. It can also examine trends, methods
    and practices in corrupt conduct. By answering to Parliament rather than to
    executive government, the ICAC retains its independence while remaining
    accountable.

    The Commission is also accountable to the Inspector of the ICAC who
    monitors operational compliance with legislation (laws of NSW) and
    deals with complaints of abuse of power, impropriety and other forms of
    misconduct on the part of the ICAC or its officers.


    Performance

    The performance of the ICAC is monitored and reported on in a number of
    ways. These include:

      reports to the Parliament

      public reports on the outcomes of investigations and corruption
      prevention projects

      annual reports

      the ICAC website.
                       ICAC Strategic Plan 2008-2012                           9




Performance measures
We report the following information in our Annual Report.

eXPOSING CORRUPtION

  matters reported to the ICAC
  each matter assessed in the reporting period and average time taken
  investigations undertaken
  each investigation completed in the reporting period
  corrupt conduct findings made
  compulsory examination and public inquiry days held
  reports produced
  information on matters investigated required under sections 76(2)(b) and
  (d) of the ICAC Act.

PReveNtING CORRUPtION

  outputs from Task Groups
  corruption prevention advice provided to external organisations
  number of training sessions conducted
  achievements of the Outreach program.

ACCOUNtAbIlItY

  information provided to the Inspector of the ICAC

  meetings with the Parliamentary Committee on the ICAC
  compliance with legislative requirements.

OUR ORGANISAtION

  performance agreements in place and linked to corporate objectives
  deliver a staff development program that addresses technical, professional
  and management learning needs
  continued commitment to developing corporate information management
  services that enable better knowledge management.
Independent Commission Against Corruption

     address     Level 21, 133 Castlereagh Street, Sydney NSW 2000

      postal     GPO Box 500 Sydney NSW 2001

        email    icac@icac.nsw.gov.au

   telephone     (02) 8281 5999 or 1800 463 909 (toll free) (for callers outside metropolitan Sydney)

         tty     (02) 8281 5773 (for hearing-impaired callers only)

    facsimile    (02) 9264 5364

      website    www.icac.nsw.gov.au

business hours   9.00 am – 5.00 pm Monday to Friday