On 26 June 2025, the Independent Broad‑based Anti‑corruption Commission (IBAC) launched eight new guides specifically designed for the public sector. Developed following IBAC’s 2024 strategic assessment, the guides respond to emerging risks and aim to support integrity-building and corruption prevention across key areas of public administration.

In the first of our two-part blog series, we provide an overview of five of IBAC’s eight guides. The second blog will focus on the remaining three and their relevance to procurement.

IBAC states that these guides are “to support education and provide a toolkit to build corruption-resistant practices.”

The guidance materials seek to address areas of key risk and to strengthen integrity practices: “From risks associated with procurement and major projects, to ethical leadership and the emergence of artificial intelligence – each guide focuses on an area where research shows there is potential for corrupt conduct to arise, and how to build processes that identify risks early to prevent corruption before it occurs.”

New guidance materials

The new guidance materials cover the following eight topics:

• How to build a pro-integrity culture
• Integrity risks associated with artificial intelligence
• Integrity risks associated with public sector politicisation
• Bullying and harassment as a corruption driver
• Leadership and ethical behaviour
• Procurement risks in major projects
• Corruption risk in procurement
• Corruption risks when engaging consultants.

Each guide focuses on scenarios where minor lapses in process or oversight can create opportunities for corrupt conduct. By offering clear risk indicators and prevention checklists, IBAC aims to help organisations identify vulnerabilities before misconduct can take hold.

How to build a pro-integrity culture

This guide outlines how public sector organisations can embed integrity into their culture by aligning values, actions, and systems. It highlights the need for awareness, capability, and accountability as foundational elements of pro-integrity culture. Strong leadership, consistent ethical communication, and embedded organisational processes that are continuously reinforced are also essential.

Integrity risks associated with artificial intelligence

This guide identifies integrity risks posed by the unstructured use of AI. IBAC outlines several risks:

• AI systems can be intentionally designed for corrupt purposes
• AI systems can be manipulated with false input data
• AI systems can be applied or misused in a way that creates integrity risks.

To mitigate these risks, IBAC encourages public sector organisations to implement clear policies, provide training, restrict inappropriate AI tools, ensure transparency, and disclose when AI is used.

Integrity risks associated with public sector politicisation

This guide explores the threat politicisation poses to the independence and impartiality of the public sector. It warns that political appointments or past political affiliations can create perceived or actual conflicts of interest. Risks include biased advice, suppression of dissent, and mistrust within agencies. To address this, the guide recommends training staff, reinforcing the Code of Conduct, and ensuring employment decisions are merit-based to maintain public trust.

Bullying and harassment as a corruption driver

This guide outlines how bullying and harassment can enable or escalate into corrupt conduct. Such behaviours can exploit power dynamics, such as supervisors threatening staff, coercing them into unethical acts or exchanging job benefits for inappropriate favours. When left unchecked, these behaviours can constitute corruption. The guide outlines red flags such as ongoing intimidation, misuse of authority, obstructed reporting processes, and breaches of trust. Public sector organisations and employees are encouraged to recognise and respond to these signs to uphold integrity and maintain public trust.

Leadership and ethical behaviour

Ethical leadership plays a central role in fostering integrity within the public sector. Leaders shape organisational culture not only through policy but through their actions. This guide highlights that ethical leadership can turn integrity challenges into opportunities for long-term reform and improvement. It cautions against complacency and the normalisation of systemic issues, emphasising that a strong ethical culture must be developed and maintained at all levels of an organisation. The guide concludes by outlining the characteristics of ethical leadership.

In our next blog we will examine the remaining three guides with a focus on procurement:

• Procurement risks in major projects
• Corruption risk in procurement
• Corruption risks when engaging consultants.

IBAC is supporting agencies to build corruption resistance from within. The 2025 suite of guidance material is a timely and practical addition to Victoria’s integrity ecosystem.

Resources

• 2025 new guidance materials (IBAC)
• VPS Code of Conduct (VPSC)

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CourtHeath acknowledges the Traditional Aboriginal Owners of Country throughout Victoria and pays respect to Elders past and present, and to the ongoing living culture of Aboriginal people.

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