Allan Kessing deserves more than a medal

The revelations this week about Customs won't give solace or much comfort to Allan Kessing, even of the cold kind. But they vindicate his warnings in reports written 10 years ago that were ignored by authorities and perhaps provide just a little satisfaction.

From the report of his media conference with Senator Nick Xenophon today:

Mr Kessing said in April 2005 he approached Anthony Albanese, the then-opposition transport spokesman, and briefed one of his staffers about his concerns surrounding the reports, before meeting personally with Mr Albanese. Information contained in Mr Kessing's reports appeared in The Australian newspaper a few months later. Mr Kessing claims he then was the subject of a witch hunt. His home and that of his recently deceased mother were raided in 2005, and the Australian Federal Police spent $250,000 tapping his phones and putting him under surveillance, he said. In 2007 Mr Kessing was convicted for breaching Section 70 of the crimes act, but denies he supplied The Australian with the report. Mr Xenophon said in the wake of this week's revelations about alleged corruption and criminal activity at Sydney Airport, Mr Kessing should be pardoned and his two reports publicly released."The scandal is that this man who deserves a medal for the work he did 10 years ago was actually persecuted through the courts, had his life effectively ruined," Mr Xenophon said.

Have the best Christmas you can, Allan.

And the same to former Customs bosses, Mr Albanese and current and former staffers, ALP leaders who made much of the injustice to Kessing before the 2007 election propelled them into government, and Minister Jason Clare and those that drafted for him the refusal of the Kessing pardon application.

When the government gets around to legislating for comprehensive whistle-blower protection after five years of promise, let's call it The Kessing Act.