New Zealand introduces law to protect whistleblowers.

New Zealand Parliament on Wednesday introduced a bill that will strengthen protections for whistleblowers.

Minister of State Services Chris Hipkins said that the Protected Disclosures (Protection of Whistleblowers) Bill will replace the Protected Disclosures Act 2000.

“Whistleblowers are critical to maintaining public confidence in the integrity of government and business in New Zealand.

“The current laws are now 20 years old and not working as well as they should,” he said.

“It is crucial that employees feel safe to report cases of serious wrongdoing, fraud, misconduct, harassment and dishonesty,’’ Hipkins said while introducing the bill.

According to him, anyone who raises these issues, or ‘blows the whistle’, needs to have faith that their role, reputation, and career development will not be jeopardised when speaking up.

“The bill will ensure New Zealand has a strengthened regime for disclosing serious wrongdoing in the workplace, which is critical to maintaining the country’s reputation for high standards of integrity, openness and transparency.

“The changes will allow serious wrongdoing to be reported directly to an external authority.

“If a discloser wishes to do so; strengthen protection for disclosers by outlining what those receiving disclosures should do; and require public sector organisations to provide more support for disclosers,’’ the minister said.

According to the minister, it will extend the coverage of serious wrongdoing to include misuse of public funds or resources, whether in a public or private organisation.

“This bill provides assurance that people can make disclosures without fear of punishment or reprisal.

“It also ensures the process for making a disclosure is clear and understood, for both the public and private sector,’’ Hipkins stressed.

 

NAN