What is Whistleblowing?
Whistleblowing - also referred to as making a 'Public Interest Disclosure' - is the action of identifying and calling out Serious Wrongdoing. Serious Wrongdoing is fraud, corruption, privacy contravention, maladministration, serious waste of funds as well as other criminal conduct.
UNSW recognises the valuable contribution of those who make a Public Interest Disclosure of Serious Wrongdoing and encourages individuals who are aware of or suspect it to speak up. Reports will remain confidential and can be made anonymously.
Step 1. Identify Serious Wrongdoing
Serious Wrongdoing is a broad term that includes a wide range of behaviours.
UNSW's Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblowing) Policy and Procedure has been designed to outline the process for making a Public Interest Disclosure i.e., reporting Serious Wrongdoing.
Examples of Serious Wrongdoing include:
- Corrupt Conduct (including fraud, money laundering or misappropriation of funds, offering or accepting a bribe, conflict of interest, blackmail, embezzlement, or illegal conduct)
- Misconduct (including negligence, breach of trust)
- Serious maladministration
- Serious or substantial waste of public money
- Failure to comply with GIPA Act 2009, PIPP Act 1998, or HRIP Act 2002
- Engaging in or threatening to engage in detrimental action
If you have seen, or have reasonable grounds to suspect, Serious Wrongdoing is occurring at UNSW, report it.
More information can be found in the Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblowing) Policy and Procedure.
Step 2. Make a Public Interest Disclosure
You can make a confidential and anonymous report with Your Call the independent external service provider contracted by the University to receive reports.
- Online: You can lodge a report at any time online using the Organisation ID: UNSW.
- By phone: Call 1300 790 228 between 9.00 a.m. and 12.00 a.m. (midnight) Monday to Friday (AEST) except public holidays.
- By email: You can make a report to UNSW’s dedicated serious wrongdoing email address: SpeakUp@unsw.edu.au
If you are thinking of making a Public Interest Disclosure and wish to remain anonymous, we encourage you to use the Your Call service. Alternatively, we recommend that you create a separate, non-identifiable email address for communicating with the University.
Where an eligible Public Interest Disclosure is made, we are obliged to keep your identity confidential, unless you have agreed in writing to have your identity disclosed or it is legally permissible to disclose it.
Need more information?
For further details regarding Serious Wrongdoing, please refer to the FAQ section. In handling serious wrongdoing matters, the university may enlist external providers. To learn about our partnership with these external providers and the process after reporting, view our external provider document or visit the Complaints, Reports & Investigations SharePoint.
You can also email Bron Greene the Director, Conduct and Integrity and Riley O’Keeffe the Manager, Disclosures and Complex Investigations at SpeakUp@unsw.edu.au. Only Bron and Riley have access to this inbox. Your enquiry will be treated as strictly confidential and will not be discussed with anyone else without your consent.