Public sector whistleblower reforms

Closed 1 Oct 2025

Opened 10 Sep 2025

Contact

PIDConsultations@ag.gov.au

Feedback updated 21 Nov 2025

We asked

Between 10 September and 1 October 2025, we held a public consultation on the government’s stage 2 reforms to improve the accessibility, operation and administration of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 (PID Act).  We sought views from interested stakeholders on an exposure draft of the Public Interest Disclosure and Other Legislation Amendment (Whistleblower Protections) Bill 2025, to ensure the draft legislation is fit for purpose.

You said

We received 16 submissions during the consultation period.

Submissions covered themes such as:

  • the importance of having an independent body to protect whistleblowers
  • the functions of such a body to enable it to adequately protect whistleblowers
  • ensuring whistleblowers receive appropriate protections and immunities under the PID Act
  • taking a ‘no wrong doors’ approach to making a public interest disclosure
  • appropriate resourcing for the Whistleblower Ombudsman.

We did

Your submissions informed our approach in further developing this Bill.
We have published submissions received through the public consultation process in accordance with our publication policy. 

Thank you to everyone involved in the consultation for your engagement and for sharing your views and ideas.

Published responses

View submitted responses where consent has been given to publish the response.

Overview

The Australian Government is committed to strengthening protections for Commonwealth public sector whistleblowers.

The government is consulting on exposure draft legislation that would improve the accessibility, operation and administration of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 (PID Act) as part of stage 2 reforms. 

The exposure draft Public Interest Disclosure and Other Legislation Amendment (Whistleblower Protections) Bill 2025 would:

  • establish a new Whistleblower Ombudsman within the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman
  • clarify and strengthen protections and supports for disclosers who act within the PID framework
  • address the complexity of the PID Act to ensure that the rights, obligations and procedures are clear and accessible. 

In 2023, we consulted on an issues paper on stage 2 public sector whistleblower reform. This Bill has been developed in response to feedback received during the earlier consultation.

The measures in the Bill are subject to further consideration by government.

Why we are consulting

Your feedback on the exposure draft Bill will inform what the government considers when deciding on reforms to improve the accessibility, operation and administration of the PID Act.

Who we want to hear from

We welcome feedback from all interested stakeholders, including individuals, non-government organisations, government agencies and academia to ensure the Bill is fit for purpose.

We appreciate your time and effort in considering the exposure draft Bill.

Consultation documents

 

Interests

  • Internal