Defending whistleblowers

 

KEY 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 pushes 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. 

For several years, we have been providing expert legal support to people who blow the whistle on government wrongdoing, including high profile whistleblowers Bernard Collaery, Richard Boyle and David McBride. With partners, the Human Rights Law Centre advocated publicly and to key decision makers for the case against Bernard Collaery to be dropped. In a win for democracy, the new Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus KC discontinued the case in July 2022. You can read our explainer here.

Whistleblower Richard Boyle spoke up about misconduct at the tax office, and David McBride spoke out on atrocities allegedly committed by Australian forces in Afghanistan. The Human Rights Law Centre continues to advocate for these unjust prosecutions to be discontinued. You can read our explainer on Richard’s case here.

Launching the Whistleblower Project

In 2023, we are launching the Whistleblower Project. The new initiative will combat government secrecy and empower whistleblowers as agents of accountability and change.

The Whistleblower Project will:

  • protect whistleblowers to safely reveal wrongdoing under the protection of law; 

  • ensure the wrongdoing they disclose is dealt with promptly and fairly; and 

  • protect them against any reprisal.

In addition to this work, we also continue to advocate for reforms to the Public Interest Disclosure Act to ensure public servants can safely and lawfully speak up about wrongdoing, without fear of prosecution. We have also been calling for the establishment of a federal whistleblower protection authority to oversee and enforce whistleblowing laws. You can read more about the reforms we need to protect whistleblowers in Australia in our federal roadmap for change.

 
 
Key ProjectRachel RichmondDemocratic Freedoms