The Whistleblowers Protection Act 2001 aims to encourage and assist a person wishing to make and allegation of improper conduct against staff of Victorian government authorities including councils.
A whistleblower is any person who makes a report or allegation (known as a disclosure) about improper conduct. The City of Melbourne is committed to the aims and objectives of the Act. It does not tolerate improper conduct by its employees, officers or members, nor the taking of reprisals against those who come forward to disclose such conduct.
The Council recognises the value of transparency and accountability in its administrative and management practices, and supports the making of disclosures that reveal corrupt conduct, conduct involving a substantial mismanagement of public resources, or conduct involving a substantial risk to public health and safety or the environment.
The Council will take all reasonable steps to protect people who make such disclosures from any detrimental action in reprisal for making the disclosure. It will also afford natural justice to the person who is the subject of the disclosure.
Improper conduct is defined as:
- corrupt conduct
- a substantial mismanagement of public resources
- conduct involving substantial risk to public health or safety
- conduct involving substantial risk to environment
Any person can submit an allegation or complaint. The complaint must be made by an individual and not by a company, organisation or group of people.
Disclosures can be made to any one of the following Council Officers appointed to receive disclosures:
- Keith Williamson, Manager Governance Services, phone (03) 9658 9732
- Linda Weatherson, Director Community Development, phone (03) 9658 9106
- Mark Stoermer, Director Corporate Business, phone (03) 9658 9470
- Jane Sharwood, Manager Business and International, phone (03) 9658 9854
Comprehensive guidelines entitled ‘Whistleblowers Protection Act Procedures’ which explain in detail the system for reporting disclosures of improper conduct by Council or its employees are available below for download:
Whistleblowers Protection Act 2001 – Procedures (PDF, 208kb)
Whistleblowers Protection Act 2001 – Procedures (Text only, 208kb)