Stronger whistleblowing laws and the new Aged Care Act

Written By Andrew McLeish

The Aged Care Act 2004 (Cth) (Act) commences 1 July this year. The Act promotes the rights of those who access aged care services funded by the Australian Government and includes changes centred around the needs of patients.

The reform comes as a result of concerns about various unsatisfactory examples of substandard care raised before the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, established in 2018.

One of the many recommendations was ‘Recommendation 99 — protection for whistleblowers’. The need to enhance whistleblower protection was articulated by Commissioner Lynelle Briggs AO, who stated:

“It is a sad fact that many older people, their families and care workers are reluctant to speak up about the quality and safety of care because of the fear of reprisal from providers or their staff members.”

Read more at Rigby Cooke Lawyers…

Andrew McLeish

Andrew McLeish is the CEO and Managing Director of Stopline Pty Ltd, Australia’s first dedicated whistleblower hotline service, and the Founder of Make a Report Pty Ltd, a secure, cloud-based reporting and case management platform. With more than 25 years of experience in corporate governance, whistleblower reporting, and workplace investigations, Andrew is a nationally recognised authority in integrity services and compliance.

Since Stopline was founded in 2001, Andrew has led the delivery of whistleblower services to over 500 organisations across government, corporate, and not-for-profit sectors, managing thousands of confidential disclosures each year. Drawing on over two decades of insight and client feedback, Andrew designed and built the Make a Report platform to align with key legislative requirements - such as the Corporations Act, Public Interest Disclosure Act, and the Treasury Laws Amendment (Enhancing Whistleblower Protections) Act 2019 - as well as national and international standards including AS 8001:2021 – Fraud and Corruption Control, ISO 37001 – Anti-Bribery Management Systems, and ISO 37002 – Whistleblowing Management Systems.

He is a trusted advisor to boards, executives, and compliance leaders, known for his practical, ethical, and strategic approach to addressing complex matters involving misconduct, fraud, and corporate wrongdoing.

https://www.stopline.com.au
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Understanding the New Aged Care Act 2024: What Providers Need to Know