One of the nation's highest-profile corporate whistleblowers has accused the federal government of "fiddling while Rome burns", labelling integrity reforms as hypocritical considering the Commonwealth is still pressing ahead with two prosecutions.
Jeff Morris is a former Commonwealth Bank wealth adviser, whose decision to lift the lid on corrupt practices within the organisation helped trigger the banking royal commission.
In a submission to a Senate committee reviewing proposed changes to the nation's public interest disclosure (PID) regime, Mr Morris said the entire system needed an overhaul.
"It seems surreal to me that this question is even being asked in circumstances where the government is currently actively involved in prosecuting whistleblowers David McBride and Richard Boyle, having only recently discontinued the prosecution of Bernard Collaery," he said.
"To be amending the minutiae of the PID in these circumstances seems to be fiddling while Rome burns.
"The PID is manifestly unfit for purpose, in fact I believe it was a retrograde step, a cruel hoax holding out the prospect of a safe harbour which instead lures whistleblowers into the valley of death that is our legal system."
David McBride is currently being prosecuted for allegedly...
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