CA ANZ has lodged a submission to the Attorney-General’s Department overall supporting the proposals outlined in the consultation paper.

Clearer, strengthened protections for public sector whistleblowers are a vital step towards enhancing the integrity of government. In particular, the CP’s consideration of a reward scheme and dedicated whistleblower protection authority are tangible measures that could serve to improve current settings, provided the risks and potential adverse incentives are addressed.

While we welcome these proposals for the protection of public sector whistleblowers, we note the importance of maximising consistency in whistleblower protections across all sectors and addressing gaps – both of which can cause significant uncertainty and cost, and ultimately discourage whistleblowers in Australia from bringing critical matters of public interest to light.

Further, we commend the Government for pursuing these critical steps toward enhancing Australia’s whistleblower protection regime and bringing our policy settings into line with international best practice.