The Organisation

Origins

The Whistleblower Movement in Australia. The first association of whistleblowers, from what is known, developed in Sydney about July 1991. The group called themselves ‘Whistleblowers Anonymous’. Their President on formation was Mr John McNicol. Dr Jean Lennane became the President of this group in August 1993.

Informal groupings of whistleblowers also developed in Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania around particular issues.

Whistleblowers Action Group Queensland Incorporated. In Queensland, in 1992 and 1993, a whistleblowing research project conducted by Dr William de Maria and Ms Cyrelle Jan, at the University of Queensland, advertised for and gathered over 100 whistleblowers. Those whistleblowers began informal meetings under the chair of Fitzgerald Inquiry Whistleblower Inspector Colin Dillon, with support from the researchers. That gathering developed into Whistleblowers Action Group Queensland Incorporated, by the following steps:

17 August 1993. A meeting was held to discuss the type of group that the whistleblowers would form, whether a support group or an action group. The decision was made to form an action group.

31 August 1993, the first meeting was held for which minutes were made.

26 October 1993, the members received the first President’s Report and Treasurer’s Report, and application was made to the Queensland Government for Incorporation of Association

15 December 1993, the Group’s first submission was made, to the Senate Inquiry into ‘Public Interest Whistleblowing’

1 February 1994, the first Executive Meeting of WAGQ Inc was held

1 February 1994, Whistleblowers Action Group gained Incorporation status under Queensland law

8 February 1994, the first elections were held under the new instrument of incorporation

14 March 1994, WAGQ Inc received financial support from the Queensland Justices Association, which the Group directed to be expended by providing counselling support for whistleblowers and their families. Cyrelle Jan was employed on a part time basis to carry out this role. The funding was provided for approximately 6 months

4 May 1994. Representatives from WAGQ Inc, Colin Dillon, Eric Thorne and Greg McMahon, met with the Board of the Criminal Justice Commission.

15 May 1994, the first social event was held

31 May 1994, WAGQ Inc held its first Special Meeting

28 June 1994, WAGQ Inc gained its Tax File Number

29 July 1994, WAGQ Inc obtained Tax Exemption for donations made to WAGQ Inc

1 August 1994, representatives from WAGQ Inc, Colin Dillon, Robyn Walker, Eric Thorne and Greg McMahon, met with the Shadow Cabinet

1 November 1994, the Group held their first Annual General Meeting. At this meeting, the first Whistleblower of the Year 1993 Award was announced, and a presentation made

23 November 1994, the first Conference organised by WAGQ Inc was held at the Queensland University of Technology. It was titled ‘When the whistle blows’.

The National Whistleblowing Movement. This initiative was taken by Jean Lennane shortly after becoming President of Whistleblowers Anonymous. Jean attended a meeting of WAGQ Inc on 23 November 1993, proposing that each state whistleblower organisation provide a member to serve on the national executive of a new national organisation, Whistleblowers Australia (WBA). Greg McMahon was selected by Colin Dillon for this role, and Greg became first, the Legislation Coordinator for WBA in October 1994, and then National Director in 1997, which office he held until the arrangement was ended in 2015. Other members of the National Executive of WBA were appointed under Jean’s leadership, from Victoria, from South Australia and from Tasmania. The members of Whistleblowers Anonymous joined WBA. The groupings of whistleblowers in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia became state branches of the national organisation, WBA

Of note, the rules for WBA allowed membership to persons who were not themselves whistleblowers but who were supporters of the movement. The membership of WAGQ Inc, by comparison, was and remains only available to persons who can demonstrate that they reported wrongdoing by their employer to appropriate authorities or to the media.

Whistleblowers Australia developed by the following steps:

4/5 September 1993, the initial meeting of WBA was held

14 April 1994. WBA gained Incorporation of Association under New South Wales law

29 July 1995, WBA held its first Annual General Meeting

December 1995, WBA was invited to participate on the steering committee for the Internal Witness Research Project undertaken by the NSW Police Force

28 June 1996, WBA held their first National Conference

Mission

To independently advocate for whistleblowing and provide support for whistleblowers.

This is a topic of quite concentrated discussion and strong disagreement amongst whistleblowers. The meeting that decided to establish a formal structure dwelt on the choice between a support group or an action group. WAGQ Inc chose an Action Group, where WBA chose a Support Group. When WAGQ Inc received funding, however, it was expended on counselling support for whistleblowers and their families. The tax deductibility of donations to WAGQ Inc was lost when a Labor Government decided that QWAG Inc was directed at Action rather than on Support.

The motive for blowing the whistle is a topic for which the attacks upon whistleblowers tend to focus. Some wrongdoing, such as institutionalised paedophilia, raises the issue as to whether whistleblowers disclose such wrongdoing out of a concern for the public interest, or because of our involvement and responsibilities regarding ‘family’ in its wider community context, or both.

From a strategic planning session facilitated by member Greg Williams in 2014, the current position is to adopt both action and support activities in the WAGQ Inc mission.

Three Goals and related Strategies activate WAGQ Inc in its mission. These are set out in the table below.

Goal 1: ORGANISE	Goal 2: ADVOCATE	Goal 3: SUPPORT
1.Executive	1.Submissions	1.General advice / information
2.Membership	2.Research	2.Individual support
3.Review Processes	3.Strategic alliances	3.Welfare counselling
4.Communications	4.Resourcing for advocacy	4.Awards
5.Funding & Resources	5.Communications	5.Meetings
6.Legal structure	6.Education	6.Support (incl training)
	7.Indirect Cases	7.Planning
	8.Awards	8.Publicity

Membership

Applicants for membership need to be able to demonstrate that they have made disclosures, of wrongdoing by their employer or employment industry, to appropriate authorities or to the media.

Applications can be forwarded by mail to QWAG, PO Box 859, KENMORE, Q 4069.

Annual subscription is $25. Additional funds by way of a donations are greatly appreciated.