Popoitai: Whistleblower Act effective, report improper conduct

The National Business

BANK of Papua New Guinea (BPNG) acting governor Benny Popoitai says the Whistleblower Act is now effective and improper conduct must be reported.
Popoitai said the bank encouraged individuals to report any issues of conflict of interest.
He said the bank would protect the identities of whistleblowers unless it was compelled by law to reveal it.
“The Bank of PNG now encourages individuals to report issues of a conflict of interest and improper conduct to the bank if and when you see it because your identity will be protected unless it is compelled by law to reveal it,” he said.
The Whistleblower Act was unanimously passed (90-0) in 2020.
The new legislation is designed to:

  • PROVIDE procedures for employees to report suspected improprieties in the workplace;
  • PROTECT employees who make protected disclosures from occupational detriment; and,
  • PROVIDE remedies to employees who suffer occupational detriment having made protected disclosures.

It enables employees to disclose any suspicious acts in their workplace including a criminal offence, a failure to comply with a legal obligation, a miscarriage of justice, endangering the health and safety of an individual, environment damage, unfair discrimination and deliberately concealing any conduct mentioned above.
There are four types of protected disclosures:

  • TO a legal practitioner in the course of obtaining legal advice. It is protected disclosure only if the disclosure is done in good faith and in the course of obtaining legal advice;
  • PROTECTED disclosure to an employer. If the disclosure is made in good faith and either made in accordance with an approved internal reporting procedure or where there is no approved internal procedure directly to the employer or employee’s immediate supervisor;
  • PROTECTED disclosure to a minister. It also applies to statutory office holders and employees of statutory bodies who are not officers of the public service. It is protected disclosure if made in good faith and to the minister responsible for the relevant Act or statutory body; and,
  • PROTECTED disclosure to an approved authority.