Public Service bullies?

BULLYING by Ministers and senior bureaucrats throughout the Tasmanian public service has become a serious issue that needs to be addressed from the highest level, Leader of the State Opposition, Will Hodgman, said today.

“This systemic practice of bullying of hard working public servants is coming right from the top and needs to be stamped out,” Mr Hodgman said.

“Bullying should no longer be tolerated by the State Labor Government. Steps must be taken immediately by the Premier to wipe out this unacceptable practice.

“The State Service Commissioner, through his most recent survey of public servants, identifies that as many as 12,500 employees believe that bullying occurs within their government agency.

“Further, as many as 9000 public servants believe that bullying is tolerated within their State Government workplace.

Mr Hodgman said that comments by the General Secretary of the CPSU yesterday also suggested that bullying was rife throughout the public service under this State Government.

“And the clear evidence is that a great deal of this bullying is being done by Lennon Government Ministers and by senior bureaucrats under the instruction of Ministers.

“Quite clearly, the more bullying that occurs within the Tasmanian public service, the more likely that a diminished level of service will be provided to the public, whether it be in the area of education, health, community services or other important area.

“The Lennon Labor Government has made an art form of bullying of public servants, particularly those who have dared to criticise the policy approach or behaviour of Labor Ministers.

“The lesson from recent years is that even if bullying policies have been put in place by Departments and agencies, they are not working.

“I today call upon the Premier to establish a thorough and independent investigation of current protocols within State Government agencies to determine why bullying of public servants has become so rife.

Examples

“This independent investigation needs to look at current policies, determine why they are clearly not working, how they could be better implemented and how public servants can better raise their grievances.

“Further, the Premier needs to make it absolutely clear to his Ministers and their advisers that bullying is completely unacceptable and he needs to lead by example,” Mr Hodgman said.

Just some examples of bullying by Ministers or senior State Labor Government bureaucrats:
· victimisation and bullying of employees within Quarantine Services;
· intimidation of the CEO of the Hobart Sexual Assault Support Service;
· claims by the President of the AEU that teachers were bullied by senior Education Department officials;
· bullying and intimidation of volunteer tutors by the former Attorney General;
· muzzling and bullying of the Director of Public Prosecutions over the domestic violence legislation;
· allegations of harassment and intimidation at the Intelligent Island agency;
· claims by the former Anti Discrimination Commissioner that she was bullied;
· concern by the ANF that nurses were not able to raise patient care issues without the threat of being bullied by senior staff;
· serious issues of intimidation and bullying of staff at mental health facilities;
· State Ambulance officials being threatened by a senior Health bureaucrat for speaking out.

Will Hodgman is leader of the state Liberal Opposition.

First published April 20, republished today