On 27 November, in our next webinar, we’re talking probity, integrity and procurement in a time of COVID-19.

Our reasons are simple: our governments are accountable for what they do and how they do it.

They are responsible for ensuring that public funds are used in a way that is efficient and effective – and that spending achieves value for money. Procurement – the act of procuring goods and services – is a core function of government. It is a process with rules that ensure competition, mutual trust and respect, fairness, transparency and defensibility. Done properly, government spending decisions are well-documented, evidence-based and free from conflict of interest.

But done wrong, procurement can be a source of corruption. Sadly, some individuals are adept in identifying and leveraging process deficiencies, as well as weaknesses – personal and professional – of staff who procure goods and services.

With COVID-19, comes an increased risk of corruption, and so it’s even more important for government organisations to get the essentials right. What are these? Well, we can start with confidentiality; security; the need of clear evaluation criteria; the need to manage conflicts of interest; procurement capability; and the work of documenting decisions.

Kate Wall will speak to two experts, who bring very different perspectives:

• Julia Cornwell McKean, who is a commissioner to the Board of the Victorian Building Authority and a member of the Merit Protection Boards, an independent statutory body established to hear grievances, appeals and reviews from employees of the Department of Education and Training in Victoria.
• Chas Savage, Chief Executive Officer, Ethos CRS.

It’s a webinar; it’s free; it’s open to all.

Click here to register