Speaking up about misconduct should not feel like navigating a maze of laws and regulators. That is the message from CPA Australia, which is calling for a dedicated Whistleblower Protection Office to make it easier for Australians to report corporate and tax wrongdoing, HRD reported.
The push comes as the Treasury reviews the country’s whistleblower laws following the KPMG Australia scandal. The review is examining whether the current framework gives people enough clarity and confidence to come forward.
A system that can be hard to understand
CPA Australia says potential whistleblowers can face basic questions with no easy answers: Am I protected? Can I stay anonymous? Who should I report to?
In its submission to the Treasury, the organisation said this uncertainty can stop people from speaking up in the first place.
Belinda Zohrab, regulations and standards lead at CPA Australia, said the system should not require specialist legal knowledge.
"Whistleblowers play an important role in identifying corporate and tax misconduct, but the current framework – particularly in the corporate regime – can be difficult for ordinary people to navigate," Zohrab said.
"A person considering whether to report wrongdoing is likely to be focused on three things: whether they will remain anonymous, whether they will be protected from harm, and whether they are reporting to the right authority. People should not need specialist legal knowledge to understand whether they qualify for protection or where they should go to make a disclosure."
One place to turn for help
CPA Australia wants the proposed office to act as a first point of contact for whistleblowers.
It would provide independent guidance, explain whether someone qualifies for protection and help direct disclosures to the right regulator. Existing regulators would continue to investigate and enforce the law.
David Morgan, managing director at Veremark and a whistleblower investigations specialist, said the current landscape can be difficult to navigate, particularly for someone dealing with a serious workplace issue.
"We've got, you know, all the states that have got state laws for public whistleblowing, or what we call PIDs, or protected disclosures. We've obviously got that then at a federal level, Commonwealth level. You've got the Corporations Act, which is the private sector whistleblower legislation … and then you've got other industry-specific pieces of regulation," Morgan said.
For someone experiencing misconduct for the first time, he said the process can quickly become overwhelming.
"If you imagine you're a whistleblower that is coming across this world for the first time and is witnessing or experiencing something sort of pretty traumatic and pretty bad in their working career, where to go, who to speak to, how to get support and advice – it's a bit of a nightmare," he said.
Partnership workers could fall through the gaps
CPA Australia has also identified a gap in the current corporate whistleblower regime.
Some large organisations operate as partnerships, meaning their workers may not receive the same protections available under corporate whistleblower laws.
"Large and sophisticated businesses can operate through partnership structures, yet protections available under the corporate whistleblower regime may not apply," Zohrab said. "Closing this gap is important if we want people to feel confident reporting misconduct regardless of how a business is structured."
The organisation is also calling for greater consistency between corporate and tax whistleblower protections, clearer guidance and easier access to compensation where whistleblowers suffer detriment.
What it means for HR
For HR teams, whistleblower cases can become complicated when allegations overlap with performance management or counter-complaints.
Morgan said any new office would need real independence, resources and authority to avoid becoming another layer of bureaucracy.
"You want to make sure that it has teeth and has the right resource and structure to make it work, because the concern would be another regulator that's no more or about as effective as some of the others," he said.
He also urged HR teams to consider their role early when a conflict emerges and assess whether they should step back from a matter.
The Treasury's consultation closed on 29 July 2026, with a report to the government required under the Corporations Act.
The debate comes as scrutiny of corporate accountability continues following the KPMG Australia scandal, putting renewed focus on whether Australia’s whistleblower system makes it easier, rather than harder, for people to speak up.