I am proud to second this Bill from the Member for Clarke today, which will give much-needed protections to whistleblowers that are vital to a healthy democracy.  

Whistleblowers play a significant role in exposing serious wrongdoing by politicians, government agencies and corporations.  

Just in the last few years, whistleblowers have helped reveal the harmful and unlawful Robodebt scheme, elder abuse in the aged care sector, and the PwC scandal where confidential government information was used to help private clients avoid paying tax.  

When whistleblowers make the hard decision to speak out about wrongdoing such as this, we need to have their back.  

But right now, Australia’s whistleblower protection laws are broken. Brave people who speak up about war crimes or corruption are facing criminal charges and even prison.   

Take Richard Boyle. He helped expose the Australian Taxation Office’s unethical practices of seizing money directly from taxpayer accounts, without regard for that person’s circumstances, such as whether they were a women escaping domestic violence or a small business owner with serious health issues.  

For this decision, Mr Boyle is now facing prosecution and potential jail for his courageous act. The Courts have accepted, and I quote, that Mr Boyle is ‘a whistleblower as that term is commonly understood’. However, our current whistleblower protection laws don’t cover Mr Boyle’s acts of gathering the evidence he needed before he blew the whistle. 

It’s stories like Mr Boyle’s that show we need a Whistleblower Protection Authority to help future people come forward – everyday Australians that just want to do the right thing.  

A Whistleblower Protection Authority will support and protect whistleblowers and potential whistleblowers by being a one-stop-shop for them to go to receive advice, assistance and information. It would investigate and address complaints to help ensure fair treatment for those who speak out.  

 It will also provide policy advice to government and agencies on the effective application of public interest disclosure laws.  

The Government knows we need comprehensive whistleblower protection reform. In 2019, Labor promised to establish a Whistleblower Protection Authority.  

But in the three years they’ve had to make good on such a promise, they’ve refused to act.  

As we all saw with the National Anti-Corruption Commission, real change happens when independents push for it. We can’t count on the major parties to deliver strong whistleblower protections. We must keep fighting to make this a reality. This Bill is another step forward and I commend it to the House.