Sneaky whistleblowing tactics

The federal opposition has created an email address, whistleblowersonhoward@hotmail.com by which public servants can blow the whistle on federal government corruption and waste.

Electronic Frontiers Australia just had to burst the Labor Party's transparency bubble. EFA'S extremely with-it Irene Graham said, 'you'd have to be nuts to do it.'

She said legislation made in December '04 allowed authorities to intercept email without a warrant.

"I would think that if it was highly confidential it was better to personally deliver it or put it in an Australia Post letter - they can be intercepted but nowhere near as easily as email."

However the Opposition Public Accountability spokesperson, Kelvin Thomson said the scheme offers 'confidentiality' and that significant corruption had already been uncovered, which aims at making the Howard government more accountable.

Mr Thomson cited such revelations as the rural rorts and pork barrelling, and while that is progress towards transparency it would hardly be surprising if more major disclosures didn't reach their final destination. Recrimination is common towards public sector whistleblowers and a certain amount of stealth when revealing corruption would most likely be advisable.