Australia's Department of Treasury has published a consultation paper to inform its review of the whistleblowing frameworks in Part 9.4AAA of the Corporations Act 2001 and Part IVD of the Taxation Administration Act 1953. The review will assess whether the regimes, which were overhauled in 2019, are working as intended to protect whistleblowers and encourage compliance in the tax, corporate and financial sectors. It will not examine public sector whistleblowing or other private sector regimes beyond their interaction with the two frameworks under review. The paper focuses on practitioner-relevant issues across the design and operation of the regimes, including who qualifies as a whistleblower, which entities and disclosures are covered, who can receive protected disclosures, confidentiality and anonymous reporting, access to compensation and remedies, penalties, whistleblower policies and the case for financial incentives. It also highlights current differences between the two regimes, including broader entity coverage in the tax regime, 2024 tax-specific extensions for disclosures to the Tax Practitioners Board and for disclosures to medical professionals for treatment or counselling, and a reversed evidential burden for certain tax whistleblower immunity claims that is not mirrored in the corporate regime. Treasury also flags possible gaps and overlaps with other whistleblowing frameworks and limitations in the corporate regime for some entity types such as partnerships and sole traders. Submissions close on 29 July 2026. Treasury will use the responses to support its analysis and prepare a final written report to government, which is to be tabled in each House of Parliament.
Department of Treasury (Australia)2026-06-02
Australia's Department of Treasury launches review of tax and corporate whistleblowing regimes and seeks feedback by 29 July 2026
The Australian Treasury has launched a consultation on whistleblowing frameworks in Part 9.4AAA of the Corporations Act 2001 and Part IVD of the Taxation Administration Act 1953, assessing whether 2019 reforms adequately protect whistleblowers and support compliance in tax, corporate and financial sectors. The paper addresses issues including whistleblower eligibility, scope of entities and disclosures, protections, remedies, penalties, policies and potential financial incentives, and notes divergences between tax and corporate regimes and overlaps with other frameworks. Stakeholder submissions will inform a final report to government for tabling in Parliament.