23 June is World Whistleblower Day, a day to recognise the importance of speaking up about wrongdoing.
Good government in NSW relies on public officials to speak up when they see or hear about serious wrongdoing in the public sector. People report wrongdoing because they care about the public interest or they want to see positive change in the way government works.
Taking that step can be a difficult decision, but did you know there is support available?
If you are a NSW public official who has either made or is thinking of making a report of serious wrongdoing, the NSW Ombudsman’s Whistleblower Support Team is here to help. We provide independent, confidential, and impartial support before or after you choose to speak up. The service operates independently from the Ombudsman’s other functions of complaint handling.
You can contact our support team to:
- talk about your concerns anonymously
- get information about making a report of serious wrongdoing
- explore your options at each stage of the reporting process
- discuss referral options to other professional help.
Our support team can be reached via our dedicated hotline on 1800 716 766 (10am–4pm, Mon–Fri) and via email at whistleblowersupport@ombo.nsw.gov.au.
Learn more about our support for whistleblowers and check out our videos here.
