Independent parliamentarians introduced the Whistleblower Protection Authority Bill 2025 in the House of Representatives and also in the Senate. The Bill establishes the Whistleblower Protection Authority – a new, independent statutory authority responsible for providing information, advice, assistance, guidance and support to whistleblowers and potential whistleblowers.
The Bill will be introduced in the House of Representatives today by Andrew Wilkie MP, seconded by Dr Helen Haines MP, and in the Senate on Tuesday by Senator David Pocock and Senator Jacqui Lambie.
“Whistleblowers make Australia a better place. They should not be punished for telling the truth, or for exposing misconduct or wrongdoing. But the Government is failing to provide adequate support and protections, and instead is fixated on punishing anyone who speaks out and deterring those who might.
“A Whistleblower Protection Authority will go some way to helping whistleblowers and potential whistleblowers navigate the legal landscape when revealing evidence of misconduct, as well as ensuring they are supported when making disclosures of wrongdoing.”
Mr Wilkie is himself a whistleblower, having resigned from what is now called the Office of National Intelligence in 2003 over the fraudulent reasons for the invasion of Iraq.