The planned introduction of a Private Members’ Bill to establish a Whistleblower Protection Authority has been warmly welcomed by Transparency International Australia and the Human Rights Law Centre.
The Whistleblower Protection Authority Bill to be announced today by Andrew Wilkie MP, Dr Helen Haines MP, Senator David Pocock and Senator Jacqui Lambie would establish a dedicated, independent agency to safeguard those who speak up from inside government or business about corruption and wrongdoing.
Whistleblowers play a critical role in exposing misconduct, but across all sectors, clearly need and deserve greater support to protect their jobs, reputation and personal wellbeing.
This is a pivotal opportunity for all parties to commit to comprehensive improvement of federal legal protections for whistleblowers, including legislating to fill the single biggest gap – the lack of dedicated enforcement and the insufficient, patchy implementation of existing laws.
Professor A J Brown AM, Chair of Transparency International Australia, said:
“We welcome the ongoing attention being placed on this vital issue across the political spectrum, for example as recently endorsed by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations report on the consulting sector, arising from the PwC scandal.”
“Current piecemeal approaches aren’t working, especially due to lack of practical support, insufficient oversight and little enforcement of the protections.”
“We look forward to the next steps in existing Government reviews of both public sector and private sector whistleblowing laws – and to this Private Members Bill providing a tangible demonstration of what is possible, and needed, as part of these much-needed reforms.”
Sharon Kelsey, former anti-corruption whistleblower and member of Transparency International Australia’s national whistleblowing advisory group, added:
“As someone who has experienced the challenges firsthand, I know how critical it is to have robust protections and practical support for those who speak up.”
“This Bill can provide a model for the practicable, enforceable safeguards that will ensure whistleblowers are supported, and not left carrying impossible burdens for doing the right thing.”
Kieran Pender, Associate Legal Director at the Human Rights Law Centre added:
“At the Whistleblower Project, Australia’s first legal service for whistleblowers, we see firsthand the difficulties faced by whistleblowers in speaking up about government and corporate wrongdoing. Australia’s democracy suffers as a result.
A Whistleblower Protection Authority is a landmark step towards better supporting, protecting and empowering whistleblowers. Andrew Wilkie MP, Dr Helen Haines MP, Senator David Pocock and Senator Jacqui Lambie are to be commended for pursuing this landmark reform. The Bill will seek to implement Draft Design Principles for a Whistleblower Protection Authority developed by TI Australia, Human Rights Law Centre and Griffith University’s Centre for Governance & Public Policy, already submitted to the Government as part of its reforms:
https://transparency.org.au/draft-design-principles-for-a-whistleblower-protection-authority/
