Whistleblower protections in the private sector

A whistleblower may make a protected disclosure for a variety of reasons, including to expose wrongdoing or unlawful activity or to prevent harm to the public or the environment.

In this article, we consider whistleblower protections in Australia, including:

• protected disclosure schemes;
• private sector whistleblowing;
• what is a 'protected disclosure';
• confidentiality and protection from victimisation;
• remedies, penalties and compensation; and
• privileges and immunity.

High-profile cases that bring whistleblower protections into the public eye

Whistleblower Jeff Morris' disclosures about financial planning practices at a big-four bank triggered several parliamentary inquiries and the Royal Commission into Banking Misconduct.