PROJECT | Democratic Freedoms

Whistleblowers make our democracy stronger, but too often, people are afraid to come forward when they witness wrongdoing for fear of reprisal. The Human Rights Law Centre is committed to defending whistleblowers and is pushing for stronger whistleblower protections through advocacy and strategic litigation.

Whistleblowers make Australia a better place. From war crimes in Afghanistan to misogyny in Parliament House, so much has been revealed thanks to the courage of whistleblowers. Their bravery is crucial to our democracy and ensures accountability for injustice. This is why the Human Rights Law Centre is committed to supporting whistleblowers. 

Weak and complex laws mean that whistleblowers face financial, legal and personal reprisals when blowing the whistle. This is why the Human Rights Law Centre established the Whistleblower Project – Australia’s first dedicated service to support people to safely reveal wrongdoing under the protection of law.

Whistleblowers should be protected, not punished. Whistleblowers continue to face detriment within their own workplaces for speaking up about wrongdoing. They continue to be sued by their employers for speaking out; some are even being criminally prosecuted.

We have provided legal support to hundreds of people and advocated for the prosecutions of high profile whistleblowers Bernard Collaery, Richard Boyle and David McBride to be dropped. 

Advocating for legal solutions to protect and empower whistleblowers

In addition to the Whistleblower Project, we also advocate for stronger laws and independent oversight to protect whistleblowers.

This includes reforms to whistleblowing laws, the Public Interest Disclosure Act to ensure public servants can safely and lawfully speak up about wrongdoing and without fear of prosecution.

Our report, Cost of Courage: Fixing Australia’s Whistleblower Protections compiled every whistleblower protection case to proceed to judgment across Australia and found there has not been a single successful decision for a whistleblower under the primary federal public or private sector laws. This is the first time there has been such a comprehensive review of all whistleblowing cases.

We have also advocated in the media and directly with politicians for the establishment of an independent whistleblower protection authority to oversee and enforce whistleblowing laws. In February 2025, a group of key independent MPs introduced a bill for a Whistleblower Protection Authority.