Whistle-Blower Legislation
The 2009 Commission of Inquiry into the Department of Finance has, among its recommendations, called for the introduction and enactment of whistle-blower legislation to boost the fight against corruption in PNG.
There have been cases in the PNG bureaucracy over the years where whistle-blower civil servants were terminated from their employment (Tokunai, 2011).
In February 2017 the Department of Defence sacked 9 staff for revealing details of the controversial Manumanu land deal (Yapumi, PNG Loop, 2017).
TIPNG defended the terminated officers and urged bureaucrats who are witness to corrupt activities to speak out (Wiseman, 2017).
The draft of the 2015 Organic Law on the Independent Commission Against Corruption has a section dedicated to protecting whistle blowers.
It states that a person is not liable to any civil or criminal action, including disciplinary proceedings, if the person in good faith gives or provides information to assist the commission.
It is not known if that section (108) was retained in the bill that is now before the National Parliament for the third reading and final vote. However, it is understood discussions highlighting the need for separate legislation for Whistle-Blowers and Freedom of Information has already been raised at the National Anti-Corruption Technical Committee meeting.
