The Queensland Ombudsman, Crime and Misconduct Commission and the Public Service Commission have worked together to develop a series of guides about public interest disclosures for the Queensland public sector. These guides draw on findings from the three-year Whistling While They Work national research project, led by Griffith University.
Reporting suspected wrongdoing is vital to the integrity of the Queensland public sector. These guides inform whistleblowers on what to consider before reporting wrongdoing, and assist organisations in developing a workplace where employees are encouraged to disclose wrongdoing without fear of reprisal, where employees receive the necessary support and feedback, and where cases are investigated in a thorough and timely manner.
An outline of the guides, and the first two guides are now available:
A third guide for organisations on managing public interest disclosures will be released later in the year.
In the interim period, a good practice checklist is available for organisations to evaluate existing policies and procedures and identify areas for improvement: