It cost me my job & any possibility of a career. I found out first hand that reporting higher ranking personnel is only to one's own detriment. Even during a coalition government 90% of the public service is made up of Labor supporters. As one Federal union president once said to me that she'll do anything not to co-operate with a coalition administration. Neither the CMC, the CJC, the Public Service Board, the Health Dept. in fact every Department approached fobbed me off when I reported blatant misappropriation. The saddest of all things involved was that the Union who supposedly is there to help workers did not want to make waves.
In 1993 a Labor State Minister actually told me that he was quitting because it was impossible to combat the corruption in his State. That was after his government was elected on promises of weeding out corruption.

A strange and oft times disturbing psychology hangs over whistleblowers and their employers. Much of this nastiness has to do with the unspoken 'nastiness' of organsational life.

If you've ever worked at a uni or in the public service, you'll know what I mean when I say 'obsessive narcissistic' behaviours. Whistleblowing is usually an act of last resort and sometimes it's used as payback for alleged breaches of faith. Of course just as often, they report real crimes or misdemeanors.

I think the motivations behind whistleblowing is as interesting as the allegations. Much of organsational life is clouded in secrecy with hidden deals, sexual misconduct, power imbalances and psychological warfare. Whistleblowers, on one level seem to be saying, 'enough is enough'.

Cheryl,
I like to believe that whistleblowers are members of society who still have a few ounces of integrity hence taking the risk of running the gauntlet & the wrath of career public servants & other hangers on. Those who are in departments supposedly upholding integrity are the least to be relied on.