The most significant issue in this appeal turned upon the proper construction of subs 14(2) and s 15 of the Whistleblowers Protection Act 1994 (Qld). The appellant alleged that a letter sent to the Crime and Misconduct Commission when they were a police officer was a “public interest disclosure”. The appellant claimed that the respondent police officers had taken reprisals against them by causing various detriments to the appellant because of the appellant’s public interest disclosure, the respondent State was vicariously liable for those contraventions, and the respondents were therefore liable to the appellant for damages for the statutory tort of reprisal.
Scott McLeod QC (with K A Mellifont QC) acted on behalf of the respondents, instructed by Crown Law.
The judgment is available here.