Businesses will have to wait until next year for final
confirmation of their obligations under proposed changes to
Australia's whistleblowing laws. Amendments to the
Corporations Act and Taxation Administration
Act1 to provide for an expanded corporate
whistleblowing scheme and a new tax affairs whistleblowing
scheme2 passed the Senate, but did not pass the House of
Representatives before Parliament adjourned for 2018.
Parliament will resume sitting on 12 February 2019. If the
Bill passes during the first sittings of Parliament, the expanded
regime will commence on 1 July 2019. Once the Act commences,
public companies and large proprietary companies3 will
then have 6 months to implement a compliant whistleblowing
policy. It is unlikely that existing whistleblowing policies
will comply with the proposed legislative requirements.
