Update on the Public Interest Disclosure Bill 2016

14 November 2017

The Public Interest Disclosure Bill 2016 has recently been laid aside in the Legislative Council. The Bill, if passed, was set to replace the Whistleblowers Protection Act 1993. Significant changes to the integrity framework that were mooted by the passage of the Bill included an alignment of definitions with those contained in the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Act 2012, specific duties to assess and act on disclosures, and criminal penalties for disclosing the identity of an informant.

While the Bill progressed through the House of Assembly, the Legislative Council were requiring, amongst other things, amendments which would afford protection in certain circumstances to informants who wanted to make a disclosure to the media. As the House of Assembly disagreed with the amendments, the Legislative Council had two (2) options – either resolve not to further insist on the amendments, or lay the Bill aside.

The Bill was laid aside and cannot be reintroduced into the Legislative Council in the same form until the next session of Parliament, which will now be after the election.

Kelledy Jones Lawyers will continue to keep you updated in relation to this, and other, proposed amendments to the public integrity framework in South Australia.

If you have any questions, please contact Tracy Riddle at triddle@kelledyjones.com.au