This removes some subjective requirements and other barriers to the filing of complaints. Currently, whistle-blowers may be denied protection by the commissioner on various grounds that are subjective, arbitrary or inappropriate, and all commissioners have made full use of such provisions to reject or close cases.
An analysis of the PSIC's case management database for 2007 to 2010 revealed that 40% of disclosures were rejected for “a valid reason”, with no reason given, and 35% because they were better dealt with by someone else. In most cases, they were fobbed off to the grievance process. Whistle-blowers who make disclosures in various forms, timings and circumstances need to be protected, and the public interest does not care about the semantics of the disclosure process and the exactness of the form of the disclosure.
That's why we moved this.