Women Speaking Up: Gender Dynamics in Australia’s Whistleblowing Landscape
Authored by: Regina Featherstone, Senior Lawyer, Angela Xu, Lawyer, Anne Kantor Fellow, The
Australia Institute
Published by: Human Rights Law Centre
Publication Date: 25 August 2025
About: “Women Speaking Up: Gender Dynamics in Australia’s Whistleblowing Landscape” has found that:
- Women are more likely to speak up about the endangerment of people, while men are more likely to report fraud or corruption.
- Although men and women suffer reprisal at the same rate, women are more likely to face harassment and bullying in the workplace because of their whistleblowing disclosures;
- The majority of our lowest-paid clients are women, who are more likely to suffer reprisal the less they earn; and
- The most prevalent industry for women in reporting wrongdoing is healthcare, where, concerningly 100% of clients speaking up suffered reprisal.
The report makes a number of recommendations to better protect women who blow the whistle, including establishing a Whistleblower Protection Authority, which recognises and incorporates women’s experiences of speaking up.
Languages: English
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