Media Releases

Shining a light on the importance of protected disclosures

Thursday 16 Oct 2014

In the first of a series of new online videos, IBAC speaks with whistleblower James Shelton about how his decision to speak out led to Australia’s first prosecutions for foreign bribery.

From 1 January 2020, the Protected Disclosure Act 2012 is replaced by the Public Interest Disclosures Act 2012. See Public interest disclosures for more information.

In a new online video, IBAC speaks with whistleblower James Shelton about how his decision to speak out led to Australia’s first prosecutions for foreign bribery.

In May 2009, Australian newspapers reported how Securency International – a company run on behalf of the Reserve Bank of Australia – had funnelled millions of dollars overseas to win banknote supply contracts from central banks.

One of the men who exposed the allegations was James Shelton. His decision to blow the whistle helped expose serious corruption and led to Australia’s first prosecutions for foreign bribery.

"I know the damage that corruption does and I was determined to do something about it," James says in the interview.

Since first reporting his concerns to the Australian Federal Police in 2008, James has continued to push for greater action against corruption and stronger protections for whistleblowers.

In Victoria, the Protected Disclosure Act was introduced in 2012, to provide protection to those who make protected disclosure complaints about public sector corruption or police misconduct.

Speaking at an IBAC forum for protected disclosure coordinators, James urged those dealing with protected disclosures to focus on the content, rather than the source, of the complaint.

If you suspect corruption in a public sector agency you should report it. Find out how to make a complaint.

Very early on I realised that something was not right in the company. We had anti-corruption training, we'd been told what the legislation is, what the penalties are and examples of it - and in my very first week I was told 'Actually, this does go on in this company'.

What I saw was I was part of meetings where the bribe and the amount of the bribes was being discussed quite openly in various meetings with senior managers.

It's important to me because criminal activity is something that's just not on. It's something I'm not going to be a part of.

It's a cancer in organisations and in the countries where this stuff is done and I wasn't prepared to be part of that and I wanted them to stop what they were doing because I know the damage that corruption does and I was determined to do something about it

Would I do it again? Yes I would. The answer to that is simple for me. Because I knew it was wrong, I knew they were involved in criminal activity, and I was determined to stop it.

I've learnt a lot along the way and it would be easier the second time around, but if I was in that position again, yes I would.