'Misguided, oppressive': Global whistleblower coalition calls on Mark Dreyfus to drop prosecution of David McBride, Richard Boyle

Military whistleblower David McBride will face a criminal trial next year for his role in exposing war crime allegations after leaking sensitive documents to the media while former tax office employee Richard Boyle, who could spend life behind bars for exposing the agency's harsh debt collection tactics, is defending his actions as being in the public interest.

Mr Dreyfus has declined to intervene or comment in the two cases despite agreeing federal whistleblower protections are no longer fit for purpose.

But a letter from the Whistleblowing International Network, signed by 17 groups across Europe, North America and Africa, sent to the Attorney-General's office on Wednesday called on the first law officer to stand by his earlier public statements backing stronger whistleblower laws.

"Despite raising matters of serious public concern - since vindicated by independent investigations - these prosecutions have continued," the letter said.

"Urgent intervention is needed to address the injustice caused by these criminal prosecutions, to minimise the chilling effect of these cases and to fix Australia's whistleblowing law to ensure such cases can never happen again."

The coalition added Mr Dreyfus could require the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions to publicly explain why the cases were in the public's interest along with reimbursing their legal fees and providing compensation for the hardship they've suffered.

Mr Dreyfus declined to comment on the cases when asked by The Canberra Times, adding his earlier decision to drop charges against lawyer Bernard Collaery were due to its "exceptional" nature.

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The coalition's letter said the cases of Mr McBride and Mr Boyle were proof the protections first legislated by Mr Dreyfus when he was previously Attorney-General in 2013 had "manifestly failed to fulfil its objectives".

Under the Public Interest Disclosure Act, whistleblowers are immune from criminal prosecution.

The continued prosecutions against the two also "actively and seriously" discouraged others from coming forward with suspected wrongdoing, the group added.

Mr McBride attempted to use the whistleblower protections in order to shield himself from criminal prosecution.

But last week he withdrew his application after the Commonwealth lodged a last-minute public interest immunity claim, effectively rendering his defence nullified.

Mr Boyle is simultaneously attempting to use the protections to argue his leaks to the media were consistent with the act and therefore immune from prosecution.

Mr McBride and Mr Boyle's trial coincide with the creation of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, which is expected to be in operation by mid-next year.

The whistleblowing coalition said Australian whistleblowers had been left behind and Mr Dreyfus needed to take action.

"Around the world, we once looked to Australia as a beacon in protecting and empowering public interest whistleblowers," the letter said.

"If Australia proceeds to prosecute and imprison public officials who speak up about government wrongdoing, it will lose credibility on the world stage when it comes to transparency and accountability."