NSW ICAC Chief Commissioner John Hatzistergos will be based in Wagga next week. Photo: ICAC.
The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is heading to the Riverina next week as part of its rural and regional outreach program.
ICAC Chief Commissioner John Hatzistergos will be based in Wagga Wagga to hold discussions on anti-corruption initiatives and to assist in training local leaders and staff.
The visit includes workshops for public officials, visits with local councils, information sessions for local electorate staff and visits to education facilities.
Chief Commissioner Hatzistergos said the program helped the ICAC to connect face-to-face with communities outside the metropolitan area.
“I believe that the experience of sharing information in person is invaluable, and while having remote connectivity is a way of life today, discussing matters and learning face-to-face still has an important place,” he said.
“We are looking forward to sharing the latest in anti-corruption initiatives across the Riverina region next week.”
NSW ICAC Chief Commissioner John Hatzistergos speaking at a community leaders’ forum in Newcastle. Photo: ICAC.
The biannual outreach program began in 2001 to better communicate the ICAC’s corruption prevention advice and to encourage communities across NSW to report suspected corrupt conduct.
The last visit to the Riverina region was based in Albury in 2017.
The delegation hopes to reach as many people across the region as possible to promote integrity and public trust in the work of the oversight institutions and encourage the community to engage in two-way communication and debate issues with the agencies.
Representatives will travel to local government areas across the Riverina including Leeton, Lockhart, Narrandera, Albury, Holbrook, Coolamon, Junee, Temora and Cootamundra-Gundagai.
Chief Commissioner Hatzistergos will host a community leaders’ forum in Wagga on Wednesday (15 May) where he will be joined in discussion by NSW Ombudsman Paul Miller, Law Enforcement Conduct Commission Chief Commissioner Peter Johnson and Commissioner of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, Paul Brereton.
The panel gives local leaders the opportunity to learn how they can help resist public sector corruption and maladministration and promote transparency.
You can learn more about the upcoming ICAC visit here.
Original Article published by Chris Roe on Region Riverina.
