Consultation hub

From 14 March to 26 April 2024, we sought feedback on an exposure draft of the Family Law (Superannuation) Regulations 2024 (the exposure draft Regulations). This consultation was part of our work to review the Family Law (Superannuation) Regulations 2001 (the existing Regulations) which are due to sunset on 1 April 2025, and need to be remade ahead of that date.

The exposure draft Regulations substantively maintain the current superannuation splitting framework, but include amendments intended to modernise the language and ensure the provisions continue to operate effectively. The exposure draft Regulations contain several changes to clarify provisions and ensure that superannuation splitting arrangements keep pace with developments in superannuation products and with broader superannuation policy.

We received 10 submissions. These were made on behalf of:

• Family law practitioners
• Superannuation trustees
• Superannuation actuaries
• Financial professionals and accountants
• Superannuation industry peak bodies

The submissions were broadly supportive of the exposure draft Regulations.

The responses included helpful, technical suggestions to support improvements to the final Regulations, and provided useful insights based on stakeholder experiences of interactions with the existing family law superannuation splitting framework.

The feedback will inform our advice to government on improvements to the final Regulations. We thank everyone who took the time to engage with us by providing feedback.

The Australian Government has conducted a public consultation on the second stage of public sector whistleblowing reforms. We released a consultation paper in November 2023 seeking views on what reforms are needed to the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 (Cth) (the PID Act) and related measures to ensure the public sector whistleblowing framework remains fit for purpose and accessible for public officials to report wrongdoing.

The consultation paper asked 24 questions on a wide range of matters, including how to address the underlying complexity of the scheme and what steps can be taken to provide effective and accessible protections to public sector whistleblowers.

The second stage of reforms is an opportunity to further improve the public sector whistleblowing framework. It follows on from a first stage of reforms in 2023 to deliver priority amendments to the PID Act to make immediate improvements to the public sector whistleblowing framework, ahead of the commencement of the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

We received 56 submissions to this consultation. The submissions came from a range of stakeholders:

• 9 submissions from government agencies, including one state government agency
• 19 submissions from individuals
• 28 submissions from organisations.

Key issues raised in the consultation included:

• Whistleblower protections, including:
  • support for a new body to protect whistleblowers
  • expanding the circumstances in which external disclosures are protected under the PID Act
  • allowing people to access additional types of professional support and assistance in relation their disclosure
  • easier access to civil remedies as well as more types of civil remedies, particularly in relation to any failures by an agency to fulfil its duty to protect whistleblowers from reprisal.
• Simplification or redrafting of the PID Act, including:
  • making the legislation easier to understand and navigate for whistleblowers
  • increasing consistency between the whistleblower protection frameworks that apply to public, private and not-for-profit sectors.
• Support for a ‘no wrong doors’ approach, including:
  • increasing the types of officials within agencies who can receive protected disclosures
  • improving referral processes to ensure disclosures can be, and are, passed to an appropriate agency for consideration.

We will use the responses to this consultation to inform future policy development and decisions for the second stage of public sector whistleblowing reforms.

Thank you to everyone involved in the consultation process for your time and engagement, sharing your views, information and ideas.

Australia’s Open Government Forum is developing Australia’s third National Action Plan (NAP3) in consultation with civil society and government. The NAP3 will outline commitments by the Australian Government to activities that promote transparency, accountability and collaboration between the government, civil society and the business community.

The Open Government Forum agreed on a co-creation process in June 2023. This process outlined 2 phases of public consultation. We undertook Phase 2 public consultation through an online survey from 9 November 2023 – 22 November 2023.

The forum established 8 commitments for inclusion in in Australia’s third National Action Plan. Phase 2 consultation focused on these commitments:

• Commitment 1: Automated decision-making and responsible use of artificial intelligence
• Commitment 2: Youth Advisory Groups
• Commitment 3: Commonwealth Integrity Strategy
• Commitment 4: Beneficial ownership reform
• Commitment 5: Integrity and accountability in procurement and grants
• Commitment 6: Commonwealth whistleblower protections
• Commitment 7: Transparent political donations and truth in political advertising
• Commitment 8: Combatting misinformation in non-English-speaking communities

We received 10 responses to this consultation. The submissions came from a range of stakeholders, including businesses, not-for-profit groups and individuals.

The responses included helpful suggestions to support the implementation of commitments for Australia’s next National Action Plan.

All respondents identified which commitments they felt were of the highest importance, and provided valuable insight on how each commitment might be successfully implemented.

We thank everyone who took the time to engage with us and provide their feedback.

Analysis and summary of the responses was provided to all forum members and included in the meeting papers for the fifth forum meeting on 4 December 2023. There was clear alignment between most of the responses and the commitments the forum chose.

The consultation responses will be used to inform the development and implementation of the commitments in the NAP3. Read the consultation analysis report and further updates on the progress of NAP3 at the Australia’s Open Government Partnership site. The forum consulted on the co-creation process and the working group themes during Phase 1 consultation.