Keeping Up With ESG In Australia – July 2026

Our monthly ESG bulletin provides a targeted snapshot of key developments we see as reflecting the “must know” trends in the Australian market. In this edition, we spotlight whistleblower regime developments and the Government’s new proposal for a criminal offence for failing to prevent modern slavery in supply chains.

In the Spotlight:

a. Corporate whistleblower regime - appellate guidance and statutory review

The corporate whistleblower regime has seen significant activity in recent months, with the Full Federal Court handing down the first appellate decision on the regime and Treasury commencing a long-awaited statutory review of Australia's tax and corporate whistleblowing laws.

The Full Federal Court of Australia has handed down the first appellate decision on the corporate whistleblower protection regime under Part 9.4AAA of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (Corporations Act), inReiche v Neometals Ltd [2026] FCAFC 53. The decision is significant as it clarifies when an