Independent parliamentarians Andrew Wilkie MP, Dr Helen Haines MP, Senator David Pocock and Senator Jacqui Lambie have joined together to announce their intention to introduce the Whistleblower Protection Authority Bill in the Parliament. They will be joined by Professor A.J. Brown AM from Griffith University, Australia’s eminent authority on whistleblower protections.  The Bill will be introduced by Mr Wilkie and Dr Haines in the House of Representatives and Senator Pocock and Senator Lambie in the Senate during the first two sitting weeks of 2025.  The Crossbench has sent a joint letter to the Prime Minister to this effect.

Quotation attributable to Andrew Wilkie MP, Member for Clark:

“It is unconscionable that whistleblowers are still being prosecuted in Australia for doing the right thing and speaking up against wrongdoing,” Mr Wilkie said. “This is why we are giving notice to introduce a Bill to the House of Representatives that will establish a Whistleblower Protection Authority.

“Whistleblowers make Australia a better place, but the Government is failing to provide adequate support and protections, and is instead hell-bent on punishing anyone who speaks up and deterring those who might.

“A Whistleblower Protection Authority is long overdue and is something the Labor Party promised before the 2019 Federal Election. The Government must end the war against whistleblowers by supporting my bill. Only then can we ensure whistleblowers are protected, not punished, prosecuted or imprisoned.”

Quotation attributable to Dr Helen Haines MP, Member for Indi:

“It is beyond time the Government delivered on its promise and replaced the existing patchwork approach with comprehensive whistleblower protections,” Dr Haines said. “Every day we wait is another day that we deny protection to people who put themselves at enormous risk to expose the truth.”

Quotation attributable to Senator David Pocock, Senator for the ACT:

“Whistleblowers shine a light on corruption, protect public funds, and hold powerful entities accountable,” Senator Pocock said. “It’s time we stopped punishing courage and started protecting it.

“Thirty years ago, the Senate recommended a dedicated authority to safeguard whistleblowers. Decades later, we’re still waiting. The Whistleblower Protection Authority created by this bill would finally provide protection for those who have the courage to speak out.”

Quotation attributable to Senator Jacqui Lambie, Senator for Tasmania:

“Whistleblowers are heroes and they need to be protected and not punished,” Senator Lambie said. “Setting up a body to protect whistleblowers has been a key recommendation for decades – it’s time we got on with it.”