Summary of the key changes

This information relates to the media statement issued on 1 July 2014.  

A summary of the key changes to the CCC is below:

• The agency’s governing legislation changes from the Crime and Misconduct Act 2001 to the Crime and Corruption Act 2001.
• The agency’s name changes to the Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC).
• A new governance structure takes effect with the Commission consisting of a full-time Chairman, full-time Chief Executive Officer, a part-time Deputy Chairman and two part-time Ordinary Commissioners.
• The Minister must consult with the Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Committee (PCCC) before nominating a person for a role on the Commission. The PCCC may veto appointments.
• The Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Commissioner can commence own-motion investigations into the CCC.
• The Assistant Commissioner Crime and Assistant Commissioner Misconduct positions are now Senior Executive Officers and are no longer Governor-in-Council appointments.
• The Act provides for sessional commissioners to be appointed to assist with operations.
• The CCC corruption function will receive and assess complaints of corrupt conduct instead of official misconduct. Section 15 of the Crime and Corruption Act 2001 outlines the new definition of corrupt conduct.
• Public sector agencies will have a higher reporting threshold and will only be required to notify the CCC when they reasonably suspect that a matter involves or may involve corrupt conduct. This differs from the previous threshold where public officials notified the CMC when they had a mere suspicion of official misconduct.
• Public officials must develop a policy in consultation with the CCC Chairman on how that official or public sector agency will deal with a complaint that may involve the public official. See section 48A of Crime and Corruption Act 2001.
• Complaints to the CCC must be made by way of a statutory declaration. The CCC can apply an exemption in exceptional circumstances. See section 36 of the Crime and Corruption Act 2001.
• The CCC has a requirement to review all pre-existing matters currently under assessment or investigation to ensure they fall within the new jurisdiction.
• The CCC will monitor lower-level matters dealt with by public sector agencies by undertaking audits.
• The CCC will issue new directions under Section 40 of the Crime and Corruption Act 2001 to public sector agencies to inform them what matters they should deal with immediately and what matters should be referred to the CCC.
• A new logo for the CCC will be used from today.

ENDS