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Saturday, April 25, 2026

Queensland whistleblower laws need new act: review - Yahoo News Australia

Queensland's public sector whistleblower protections must be bolstered through new legislation and the disclosure threshold raised to stamp out trivial grievances, a review says.

The review of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2010, led by retired Supreme Court judge Alan Wilson KC, was released on Tuesday after being delivered to the state government.

It found the state's whistleblower legislation has atrophied, with the efforts of many public servants to expose and remedy wrongdoing impeded or thwarted.

"The review has concluded that necessary improvements to the legislation are of such significance and number as to call for a brand new act with a new title and clarified objects," Mr Wilson's 309-page report reads.

"That new act will repair myriad small defects and shortcomings identified by the review and, more importantly, introduce significant reforms."

A higher disclosure threshold should be enacted to target conduct involving corruption, serious maladministration, serious misuse of public resources and serious danger to the environment or public health and safety.

"Otherwise, the public sector should not be burdened by public interest disclosures which are solely personal workplace grievances, ideological in nature, or trivial," the report said.

Whistleblowers need better support, protections and remedies, with Mr Wilson calling for a support unit to be set up within the Queensland Ombudsman's office.

Other recommendations are designed to expand the definition of...



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