It can be hard to know when to be a ‘dobber’. But there are times when the actions of others require us to take a stand. When we know it is time to speak up. It is at that point that we hope we will be recognised for ‘doing the right thing’, for ‘making Australia a better and more just place’, for helping the lucky country remain the land of the ‘fair go’.

We certainly hope that we won’t be persecuted and ostracised for having the guts to stand up and be counted when it comes to doing the right thing. That is why we need strong whistleblower laws.

We don’t want people persecuted by those in power for taking a stand and calling out wrongdoing when governments, corporations and other powerful institutions and individuals are misbehaving for their own benefit. They might also harbour the misguided belief they are working for the benefit of ‘the Australian people’, as was the case against Witness K and Bernard Collaery, when they pointed out that our government was illegally spying on our neighbour, Timor-Leste.

The dropping of the Bernard Collaery case illustrates the importance of the need for strong whistleblower reforms in Australia. It represents how the current laws can be abused by those in power. And there are still people being prosecuted for bringing Australian failures to account. For highlighting where people in power have failed to act ethically and in the best interests of, not just Australians, but more broadly for human rights.

While the case of Collaery has...

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