Workplace investigations undertaken by a Government agency must be conducted in accordance with the Australian Government Investigation Standards 2011 (AGIS). The standards were developed in conjunction with the Australian Federal Police and aim to maintain integrity in any government investigation process.
The Standards set out the minimum standards required throughout all stages of an investigation. This article sets out the basic standards required for:
- receiving and assessing referrals;
- evaluating potential breaches;
- when to investigate a matter; and
- referring matters to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) or the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity (ACLEI)
Under the AGIS, agencies must:
- have in place, both online and written systems and procedures for the collection of information about potential or alleged breaches;
- have a process in writing for the evaluation of potential or alleged breaches, including items such as:
- who has responsibility for the process;
- the use of evaluation templates; and
- timelines for the purposes of prompt actioning;
- when making decisions for matters to be investigated:
- use and apply legislation appropriately;
- be transparent, ethical and efficient; and
- take action against perpetrators where appropriate;
- have a policy dealing with the recording of, and the creation and distribution of intelligence used in the investigation;
- refer matters to the AFP if a criminal breach is complex or serious, unless the agency has the skills and resources required; and
- refer a matter to the ACLEI where required.
You can access the full standards here.