Michelle Rowland (Greenway, Australian Labor Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Clark for his question and I acknowledge his ongoing advocacy, over many decades, in this important area. Last week the District Court of South Australia sentenced Mr Boyle in relation to four charges under the Commonwealth Taxation Administration Act 1953 and the South Australia Listening and Surveillance Devices Act 1972. I understand the court did not record a conviction, and imposed a 12-month good-behaviour bond. I will not otherwise comment on the specifics of Mr Boyle's case. The decision to prosecute Mr Boyle is a matter for the independent Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.

What I can say to the honourable member is that the Albanese government is committed to delivering strong, effective and accessible protections for public-sector whistleblowers through reform of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013. That's why yesterday we announced that a public consultation process on exposure draft legislation will commence next week on a second stage of reforms to the Public Interest Disclosure Act. We want meaningful engagement on this. We want to bring forward a package of reforms that will improve the accessibility, operation and administration of the Public Interest Disclosure Act. The government's reforms will be designed to clarify and strengthen protections for whistleblowers, simplify the procedures for making and handling public interest disclosures, and strengthen the scrutiny and oversight of the system.

In addition, the government proposes to establish a new whistleblower ombudsman within the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman, which would be the most significant addition to the federal integrity landscape since the establishment of the National Anti-Corruption Commission. The whistleblower ombudsman would provide strong oversight of the Public Interest Disclosure Act to ensure disclosures are being made and responded to appropriately. The ombudsman would also have new dispute resolution functions and the power to investigate reprisals. These reforms will build on the government's significant improvements to whistleblower laws implemented in 2023 and provide a comprehensive response to the 2016 independent review of the Public Interest Disclosure Act by Mr Philip Moss AM. The government will also conduct a statutory review of the private-sector whistleblower laws, and we will consult with stakeholders on this in due course. I very much look forward to working with the honourable member for Clark as the government pursues these reforms, which he knows are critical to supporting integrity and the rule of law.

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