Safe to speak: protecting the whistleblower | Kieran Pender

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For most would-be whistleblowers, the cost of courage is way too high. A whistleblower protection authority would ease their path.

On this episode, Paul Barclay talks with Kieran Pender, associate legal director at the Human Rights Law Centre. Kieran says that current laws leave whistleblowers unsupported, vulnerable to retribution and liable for prosecution. Australia needs to lower the cost of courage in the public interest.

This discussion was recorded on Wednesday 29 January 2025, and things may have changed since the recording.

Order What’s the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website.

Guest: Kieran Pender, Associate Legal Director at the Human Rights Law Center // @KieranHRLC

Host: Paul Barclay, Walkley Award winning journalist and broadcaster // @PaulBarclay

Show notes:

Whistleblowing While You Work: Using Rewards for Whistleblowing to Uncover White-collar Crime by Jack Thrower, the Australia Institute (October 2024)

Whistleblowing in Australia: Prosecutions, Law Reform and the Whistleblower Project by Kieran Pender, the Australia Institute (August 2023)

Polling – Whistleblowing & secrecy, the Australia Institute (May 2023)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.

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