We helped the Commission devise a framework based upon an organizationally- and contextually-relevant adoption of the National Statement. The proposed proportional review framework had review pathways that recognized the varying mandate held by individual projects (whether directed by regulatory or parliamentary requirement, or initiated by the CMC research directorate). It exempted from review some of the Commission’s work such as intelligence gathering relating to an individual potential criminal matter. The review arrangements included the participation of community members, experts and public sector ethicists. The focus of these arrangements was review to offer practical and valuable ethical advice to a research team, not to ‘approve’, ‘ethically clear’ or otherwise ‘police the compliance’ of a project. The framework we proposed had the objective of providing resources to support the reflective practices of the CMC’s research culture.

The CMC is the Queensland anti-corruption body that was established with a mandate to tackle official corruption in the public sector, including the police and parliament, as well as to respond to organized and systemic crime. While the Commission has an investigatory function, research is often conducted by the CMC as the result of a regulatory requirement or directions from parliament.