Dussuyer, Inez; Mumford, Stephen; Sullivan, Glenn --- "Reporting Corrupt Practices in the Public Interest: Innovative Approaches to Whistleblowing" [2011] ELECD 1010; in Graycar, Adam; Smith, G. Russell (eds), "Handbook of Global Research and Practice in Corruption" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2011)

Book Title: Handbook of Global Research and Practice in Corruption

Editor(s): Graycar, Adam; Smith, G. Russell

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781849805018

Section: Chapter 23

Section Title: Reporting Corrupt Practices in the Public Interest: Innovative Approaches to Whistleblowing

Author(s): Dussuyer, Inez; Mumford, Stephen; Sullivan, Glenn

Number of pages: 34

Extract:

23 Reporting corrupt practices in the
public interest: innovative approaches to
whistleblowing
Inez Dussuyer, Stephen Mumford and
Glenn Sullivan


Secrecy is no longer acceptable; too many lives and livelihoods have been lost
or destroyed because a whistle could not be blown. But too often the voice
of the honest worker or citizen has been drowned out by abusive, unaccount-
able bosses. Invariably, staying silent was the only option. Creating a safe
alternative to silence represents a difficult challenge, legally and culturally;
separating the message from the messenger is still obstructed by vested inter-
ests, deeply ingrained sociological habits and attitudes, and by the limitations
of the law.1



INTRODUCTION ­ WHISTLEBLOWING IN THE
PUBLIC INTEREST

Whistleblowing, or public interest disclosure, is integral to tackling cor-
ruption and misconduct. It is essential to democratic accountability and
should be encouraged. How whistleblowing is handled is also a means of
demonstrating commitment to integrity in government and to good public
administration.
The media has widely reported on many hidden forms of corruption
and misconduct exposed by whistleblowers across the public and private
sectors. The list world-wide is long ­ dramatic examples include the 1971
`Pentagon papers' regarding the involvement of the United States of
America in the Viet Nam war; fraudulent accounting practices at Enron;
and prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib. In Australia examples are: `Dr Death'
at Bundaberg Hospital Queensland and security breaches at Sydney
airport in 2003.2
The media also frequently reports on the outcome of official investiga-
tions into corruption ...