Source: Office of the Ombudsman
Awareness is at an all-time high of the law that allows people to report serious wrongdoing in the workplace and provides protection to whistleblowers.
Today is World Whistleblowing Day and the Office of the Ombudsman has released an annual poll that shows 36 percent of people know about the Protected Disclosures Act. That’s an increase of 11 percent since 2024.
Chief Ombudsman John Allen says his office has also seen a significant rise in protected disclosures since the new Protected Disclosures (Protection of Whistleblowers) Act came into force in 2022.
“This survey reflects what my office is seeing when we are out and about in communities around New Zealand. There is very high interest in the Protected Disclosures Act and how to make a protected disclosure, particularly amongst Māori, Pasifika and Asian communities.
“People are using this Act more and more. My office has seen more than a 300 percent increase in protected disclosures matters since the amended Act came into force. This may be because the revised Act expands the definition of serious wrongdoing and offers more avenues for reporting and protection.
“Other factors could include an increase in news coverage of whistleblowing cases and it may be that changes in society have prompted workers to become more aware of their rights and protections.”
Thirty one percent of those surveyed said they had witnessed serious wrongdoing at work, and of those who had witnessed it 50 percent said they reported it. That’s an increase of nine percent on the previous year in people reporting serious wrongdoing that they had witnessed.
A solid majority – 84 percent – stated they would report it to their employer if they witnessed serious wrongdoing. However, just under half (48 percent) thought they would be safe to do so. Of those who would not feel safe, an increasing number of people said they were afraid of losing their job (61 percent). Almost half of those who would not feel safe (44 percent) also thought they would face retaliation.
Almost half of those surveyed (49 percent) said they would feel safer reporting serious wrongdoing if they were assured of anonymity and confidentiality. This demonstrates how important it is for workplaces to have effective processes in place to encourage employees to speak out, protect them from retaliation, and keep their identities confidential.
The Office of the Ombudsman has released new guidance aimed at businesses and workplaces that receive protected disclosures.
