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Business School contributes to improved whistleblower protection

15 May 2019

Government thanks senior Business Law expert

The Chair of the Business School's discipline of Business Law, Associate Professor David Chaikin, has been recognised by the Federal Government for his contribution to reforms which improve protection for whistleblowers.

Dr Chaikin was an expert advisor to the Minister for Financial Services who established a Panel to assist the government in its inquiry into whistleblower protections ahead of legislation passed by Parliament earlier this year.

Dr Chaikin predicted that the legislation, altering the Corporations Act and the Taxation Administration Act, will have "a significant impact on businesses in Australia, and in particular how they handle employee whistleblowers."

"It will alter the balance of power between corporations and whistleblowers, requiring businesses to establish improved compliance procedures in dealing with whistleblowers' complaints," Dr Chaikin said.

The Australian Government's response to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services report into whistleblower protections in the corporate, public and not-for-profit sectors thanked Dr Chaikin for his assistance as a member of the Expert Advisory Panel.

Congratulating Dr Chaikin on his role on the Panel, the Acting Dean, Professor Elizabeth Cowley, said it was essential that the Business School "contribute to the national discussion and ensure that its expertise plays a positive role in the life of the nation."

Dr Chaikin is an internationally recognised expert in transnational corporate crime. He has worked in senior positions or consulted with the Attorney-General's Department, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Financial Action Task Force, the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering, the United Nations, the OECD, the Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Australian Financial Services Council.

Before joining the Business School he was a practising lawyer, having also worked at the London School of Economics and Political Science and at Kings College, University of London.

Dr Chaikin's research interests include comparative corporate law, financial crime, tax evasion and money laundering, financial services law and regulation, offshore finance, private banking and wealth management.