As part of their electoral campaign, the Greens have announced a plan to protect public interest whistleblowers, including a Whistleblower Protection Commissioner, and legislation to ensure public servants can participate in the democratic process outside of work.
ACT Greens Senate candidate Dr Tjanara Goreng Goreng and Senator Larissa Waters, Greens co-deputy leader and public sector spokesperson, said this would protect the independence, integrity, and democratic rights of Australian public servants.
In 2016, the Moss Review highlighted the need to strengthen the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 and improve protections for whistleblowers, they said. More than five years later, the Greens believe, the government has failed to act on most of the key recommendations. This has left whistleblowers vulnerable and reluctant to call out misconduct, which only benefits those who want their misconduct to remain hidden, they claim.
Dr Goreng Goreng, herself a public interest whistleblower, said she was pleased the Greens recognised that public servants can face considerable risks for calling out corruption, lies, and misuse of public money.
“I have been in the position where I knew the government was lying, and had to weigh up the public interest in disclosing that against the risk of losing my job,” she said. “My decision resulted in the government spending more than $3 million taking me through the courts, forcing me to sell my home and ultimately bankrupting me, and ending my 30-year career as a public servant.
“When I was making the decision to reveal government misconduct, there was nowhere to go for advice. It felt like the system was designed to isolate me, and make me doubt my decision to do what I knew was right.
“The Moss Review could not have been clearer – whistleblowers need more protection and support. But the government has failed to act on the Moss recommendations. In the Senate, I will be a proud champion of Public Interest Disclosure Act reform and a National Integrity Commission with whistleblower protections.”
“The Greens have a track record of safeguarding whistleblowers,” Senator Waters said. Her Bill to create a National Integrity Commission passed the Senate in September 2019, and establishes a Whistleblower Protection Commissioner to provide advice and protection to public interest whistleblowers.
“We need a frank and fearlessly independent public service. This does not mean that public servants have no right to political engagement outside their role.
“Public servants need to have confidence that they can participate in public debate outside of work without putting their job at risk. The Greens will legislate to ensure public servants in their private capacity can attend rallies, engage in political debate, run for public office, participate in their union, and get involved in civil society organisations.”
