A performance audit into personnel security measures at all eight Government Departments and the Victorian Public Sector Commission (VPSC) has found Agencies had well-designed policies and procedures to minimise risk when recruiting some new employees but not when recruiting others.
In his report, Personnel Security: Due Diligence over Public Service Employees, the Auditor-General Andrew Greaves (pictured) says the audit specifically assessed Agencies’ employment screening practices and how they manage conflict of interest risks during recruitment.
Mr Greaves found that while Agencies had well designed policies to minimise risk when hiring from outside the VPS, the same controls were not in place for contractors or consultants, or for candidates who were existing VPS employees.
“There are also gaps in how Agencies identify and reduce the risk of conflicts of interest during recruitment,” Mr Greaves said
“These weaknesses unnecessarily expose the VPS to fraud and corruption risks and increase the risk that unsuitable individuals may work in the VPS,” he said.
Mr Greaves said VPSC’s pre-employment screening policy was a positive first step toward a consistent, better practice approach to employment screening in the VPS.
He made 13 recommendations directed at the VPSC, the Department of Premier and Cabinet and the Department of Treasury and Finance, as well as recommendations that applied to all audited Agencies.
Mr Greaves recommended all Agencies update recruitment and employment screening policies and procedures to ensure existing employee candidates are subjected to risk based employment screening.
He also recommended Agencies implement processes for identifying, declaring and managing conflicts of interest during recruitment and review conflict of interest training.
He said all Agencies had responded to the proposed report, accepted all the audit’s recommendations, and provided detailed action plans to address them.
The Auditor-General’s 87-page report can be accessed at this PS News link.
