The ACT has a proud tradition of being n the forefront of strong workplace laws and enshrining workers rights. We were the first (and currently only) jurisdiction our make sexual assault in the workplace a notifiable incident. Our comrades in the CFMEU led the charge banning engineered stone. We recognise industrial manslaughter and have laws to punish the perpetrators. We recognise that having a disability doesn’t mean you are sick, so you shouldn’t have to use your sick leave to attend appointments pertaining to your disability. We recognise workers’ rights as Human Rights. We are proud to lead the nation for putting workers first.
It is disappointing then to see the approach of the ACT Government’s treatment of its own workers when it comes to psychosocial risk and safe systems of work. Time after time members report to us the victimisation they experience at the hands of senior and executive managers. Punitive measures for reporting a risk. Investigations into the officer reporting for calling out a poor procurement decision. Some officers wondering if they need to move roles because they raised ethical concerns. Healthcare workers having their job threatened because they attempted to protect a patient from a colleague’s poor actions. And shockingly, all of these actions have occurred in just the last 6 weeks.
Psychosocial risks have a real and lasting impact on the ACT Public Service and by proxy, the Canberra Community. The ACT Government has recently joined other jurisdictions in putting in place regulations to address psychosocial risk. On the 28th May, Legal Aid ACT became one of the first employers to receive a improvement notice from Worksafe for not providing a safe system of work for their employees – for not protecting them from physical and psychosocial risks.
Worksafe is working to regulate these matters, but they are understaffed and under-resourced. Senior Executives of the ACTPS can and must lead from the front on these issues. Every worker deserves to go home from work safe, regardless of the work they do – and those responsible with the power to make change must be held responsible, not just moved to the side.