Tara Cheyne won't say if ex-staffer still has ACTPS job after corruption finding

Anti-corruption rules for the ACT's public servants are being reviewed and improved after an investigation found a senior ministerial staffer and directorate head corrupted a primary school upgrade tender to favour a union's interests.

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But Attorney-General Tara Cheyne declined to say whether Joshua Ceramidas, the former senior ministerial staffer found to have engaged in serious corrupt conduct, was still employed by the ACT public service.

Attorney-General Tara Cheyne declined to say whether the former staffer found to have engaged in serious corrupt conduct was still employed by the ACT public service. Pictures by Gary Ramage and Sitthixay Ditthavong.

"I'll seek advice ... but I think it would set an extraordinary precedent for any person in this place to be commenting on an individual's employment arrangements," Ms Cheyne said in Legislative Assembly question time on Tuesday.

Three months ago a government spokesperson said Mr Ceramidas was employed by the territory's public service.

Court listings also show Mr Ceramidas has launched action against the Integrity Commission in the Federal Court, with the matter listed for mention last week.

Ms Cheyne was asked by the opposition whether she had received a request to be a respondent in the court case; she said she needed to seek legal advice before responding in parliament.

Joshua Ceramidas, pictured in 2013. Picture by Melissa Adams

The ACT Integrity Commission found Mr Ceramidas had engaged in serious corrupt conduct by dishonestly providing a backdoor to prioritise the interests of a major union in the tender process for a public primary school upgrade six years ago.

The commission released its long-awaited Operation Kingfisher report in July, having also found the former head of the Education Directorate, Katy Haire, had engaged in serious corrupt conduct.

"Not only was the process itself improperly skewed, resulting in manifest unfairness and also, as it happened, substantially increased cost, but both Ms Haire and Mr Ceramidas undertook a calculated attempt to cover up the truth of what occurred," the report said.

"Accordingly, the corrupt conduct of each amounted to serious corrupt conduct."

While the corruption watchdog cannot rule whether corruption amounts to a criminal offence, Integrity Commissioner Michael Adams KC's report noted Mr Ceramidas' actions could constitute the offences of abusing public office and conspiracy to defraud.

Integrity Commissioner Michael Adams KC. Picture by Keegan Carroll

The findings prompted Yvette Berry, whom Mr Ceramidas worked for from 2016 before joining the ACT public service, to resign from cabinet. No findings were made against Ms Berry.

In July, an ACT public service spokesperson said Mr Ceramidas was an employee of the territory's public service.

"The ACT Public Service will take appropriate steps in accordance with its employment obligations following the Integrity Commission's findings. Any further action will be determined through official processes," the spokesperson said.

The government's formal response to the Operation Kingfisher report was tabled on Tuesday, detailing changes to procurement laws and new training for political staff.

"The Office of Industrial Relations and Workforce Strategy in the Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate (CMTEDD) has reviewed and refreshed guidance material for all staff on the roles, responsibilities, protocols and practices for public servants in working with Ministers and their offices," the response said.

A review of large tenders in the Education Directorate between 2019 and 2026 found no further evidence of improper conduct and a further review will now consider procurements worth more than $500,000.

"The ACT government recognises that it is essential to maintain a culture across the ACTPS where staff are confident to raise integrity concerns and those concerns are listened to and taken seriously," the response said.

"Since 2022, there has been a significant uplift in the promotion of integrity across the ACTPS including education campaigns and awareness raising by the ACT Integrity Commission, the ACT Public Sector Standards Commissioner and internal directorate messaging through the Senior Executives Responsible for Business Integrity and Risk (SERBIR) in each directorate."

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