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It was stated in the House of Commons debates on July 28, 1997, that the British Government had no plans to repeal the Official Secrets Act, 1989 nor to introduce a public interest defence (H.C.Deb., vol. 299, col. 6) see 1997 Public Law, p.712.
(B) Australia: Public Interest Disclosure Act, 1994:
Initially, the need for a Whistleblowers Act was pointed out in the Fitzgerald Report (at p.134) in relation to investigation into public misfeasance in Queensland. (See Current Topics, Vol. 67 (1993) Austr. L.J. p. 249). It was observed in that Report as follows:-
The Civil Services Reforms Act of 1978 was not able to remedy several forms of reprisals such as transfers to 'bureaucratic Siberia', elimination of duties, career paralysis, reprimand etc. Between 1978 and 1989, when the present Act was passed, even the federal Office of Special Counsel was not supportive of the whistle blowers effectively. Things became better only after the 1989 Act and more so after the recent amendments of 1994 (see 'The Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989:
In Australia and in United States of America, the relevant statutes (referred to in Chapter VI) give a choice to the public servant who made the complaint to seek a transfer to other department, subject of course to his qualification, experience and the availability of an equivalent post. We propose a similar safeguard.
7.25 Protection of witnesses and other persons: (Proposed section 12):
There are provisions in the US Whistleblowers Act, 1989 to protect witnesses and other assisting the inquiry so that the persons against whom complaints are made do not try to scuttle the inquiry or interfere with the witnesses and other persons assisting the inquiry. It is, therefore, necessary to protect the witness and other persons assisting the inquiry. With a view to ensure this protection, we make a provision in section 12 to the effect that the Competent Authority shall pass such orders granting adequate protection to the witnesses and other persons assisting the inquiry as may be necessary in the circumstance of the case.