Conflicts of interest
A conflict of interest is any situation where a person's duties or responsibilities as a public sector employee or contractor conflict (or can be seen to or have the potential to conflict) with another interest a person has. To maintain public trust, it is important that conflicts of interest are identified and managed properly.
Hi, I’m Sam, and I’ve been working in the public service for a little while now.
I used to think conflicts of interest were simple - just ask yourself if there are any issues that blur professional lines, like a potential financial gain, then declare it, and move on. Easy, right?
Not quite... I had a tricky situation not long ago where my wife got a job at my agency. While our work didn’t overlap there was a chance that we would end up on projects together in time. I didn’t know this was a conflict of interest - turns out it was - and me and my manager needed to put in a robust plan to make sure it wasn’t a problem moving forward.
That made me realise that conflicts aren’t just a “one and done.” They can shift, develop, or pop up when you least expect them. That’s why it’s important to keep thinking about them, not just when you start a new job and fill out a form.
Being able to spot and manage conflicts is essential. This learning will help you make sense of those moments when you’re not quite sure what to do.
Microlearning modules
These elearning modules present 6 different scenarios. They will help you to identify conflicts of interest, determine effective mitigations and support you to develop management plans.
The first 2 have been designed for all public servants, while the other 4 are for people leaders. They can be completed in any order.