Is there a law to protect whistleblowers? If so, which law?
Yes, there are two federal laws to protect whistleblowers in
Australia. These laws are:
-the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (Corporations
Act). This provides for a corporate whistleblower policy
to be operated by corporations; and
-the Taxation Administration Act 1953 (Cth). This
provides for a tax affairs whistleblower scheme which is
administered by the Australian Tax Office.
We deal with the whistleblower laws under the Corporations
Act.
Are companies legally obliged to introduce a whistleblowing
system?
Yes. Companies that meet certain prescribed thresholds must
introduce a whistleblower policy.
If so, which companies must introduce a whistleblowing system
(number of employees, turnover, sector)?
