Code of conduct

All Office of Industrial Relations (OIR) staff, including executive management, are required to comply with the Code of conduct (the Code) for the Queensland Public Service.

The purpose of the Code is to provide government employees with a clear understanding of the standard of conduct expected when performing duties as an employee of a Government department.

The Code places an obligation on all government employees to take responsibility for their own conduct. To achieve this, all employees of OIR are expected to familiarise themselves with, and act in accordance with the Code.

Framework for ethical conduct

The Code does not attempt to provide an exhaustive list of what to do in all situations, instead the Code represents a broad framework of ethical conduct that government employees have an obligation to uphold.

The Code also provides the basis for disciplinary action for those who fail to meet their obligations.

The standards of conduct in the Code are based on the four ethics principles contained in the Public Sector Ethics Act 1994 (Qld). The ethics principles which are considered essential for the performance of public administration in Queensland are:

• integrity and impartiality
• promoting the public good
• commitment to the system of government
• accountability and transparency.

Application of the Code

The Code applies to all employees whether they are permanent, temporary (full-time or part-time), agency supplied temporary staff, casual or a contractor.

In applying the Code, consideration is to be given to both the 'spirit' and 'content' of the Code. If staff are in any doubt as to the meaning of the Code or its application in any situation, they should seek advice from their manager.

As employees of a government department, OIR staff have a responsibility to conduct themselves in a manner that will not undermine public confidence in the integrity of the OIR.

Employees who have human or financial resource management accountabilities (i.e. managers or team leaders) have the responsibility of monitoring the use of OIR resources and the performance of employees. Managers are also responsible for taking appropriate action where an employee breaches the Code.

Code of Conduct for Medical Assessment Tribunal Members

The code of conduct (PDF, 0.6 MB) for Medical Assessment Tribunal members was developed in consultation with Crown Law and the Tribunal chairs. It is effective as at 1 November 2018 and forms part of the Medical Assessment Tribunal appointment conditions.