Public Interest Disclosure

Updated: 13 May 2024

What is a public interest disclosure (PID)?

The AEC is committed to the highest standards of ethical and accountable conduct. To this end, the AEC encourages public officials to report suspected or probable illegal conduct or other wrongdoing in accordance with the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 (PID Act).

Public officials include:

  • any person who is, or was, employed by the Commonwealth Australian Government
  • individuals employed by any Commonwealth companies, authorities and statutory agencies, the Parliamentary service, statutory officeholders
  • service providers under contract to the Commonwealth and anyone employed by them

The AEC will take steps to ensure that those who make, or who are considering making a disclosure under the PID Act are properly supported and protected from any adverse consequence relating to the disclosure.

If you are not a public official and wish to make a complaint or provide feedback about the AEC, please access our complaints and feedback page.

Making a public interest disclosure

Where a public official is considering making a disclosure, they should, in the first instance, contact one of the AEC’s Authorised Officers to get information about making a PID under the PID Act.

The AEC’s other Authorised Officers are the:

  • Deputy Electoral Commissioner
  • First Assistant Commissioners
  • State managers, who hold the statutory appointment of Australian Electoral Officer for each state and the Northern Territory.

PIDs can be made by a public official. This includes:

  • any person who is, or was, employed by the Australian Government
  • individuals employed by any Commonwealth companies, authorities and statutory agencies, the Parliamentary service, statutory officeholders
  • service providers under contract to the Commonwealth and anyone employed by them

PIDs can be made orally or in writing:

  • by an employee to their supervisor
  • to an Authorised Officer
  • via PID@aec.gov.au
  • in very limited circumstances, to a person outside the government other than a foreign official
  • via the telephone on (02) 6271 4764.

You can also report anonymously, however:

  • we cannot ensure you are protected from reprisal
  • it can make further investigation difficult
  • we cannot provide you with updates on the progress of the investigation

Read more about our PID Procedures and how we manage a disclosure.