57Referrals

57 Referrals

57 Referrals

(1) Without limiting other provisions of this Division, a referral of a voluntary public interest disclosure may constitute a referral for the purposes of another Act or law.

(2) Unless the referral is mandatory under another Act or law, an agency is not to refer a voluntary public interest disclosure without considering the following—

(a) whether the disclosure would more appropriately be dealt with by the person to whom, or body to which, the disclosure is to be referred,

(b) the risk of detrimental action being taken against the maker of the disclosure as a result of the referral of, or failure to refer, the disclosure.

(3) Unless the referral is mandatory under another Act or law, an integrity agency is not to refer a voluntary public interest disclosure to another integrity agency without considering the views of the other integrity agency.

(4) To avoid doubt, an agency may refer a voluntary public interest disclosure—

(a) whether or not the agency has commenced investigating, is investigating or proposes to investigate the relevant serious wrongdoing, and

(b) whether or not the disclosure has previously been referred, and

(c) to more than 1 other person or body.