Page 120 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 12 February 1991
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A staff meeting was called by management on 10 January 1990, at which the Executive Director of the Community Programs Branch, Ms M Haynes, was present. The meeting was called to inform staff of the transfer of Mr Albrighton and the procedures that would follow. Ms Haynes did mention that my office had received representations. However, given that the matters raised were disciplinary matters and, under Public Service guidelines, such matters are the responsibility of Public Service managers, it was inappropriate for me to respond. It is not known how many officers from BBC contacted my office during this period.
No. Staff have now, and always have had, access to the following when seeking redress:
the Superintendent Belconnen Remand Centre.
the Deputy Superintendent Belconnen Remand Centre
the Director Corrective Services
the Executive Director Community Programs Branch
the Director Personnel Practices
the Union (APBs)
the Official Visitor to Belconnen Remand Centre (conditions at BCC)
the Staff Relations Officer (Regulation 83 Grievances)
the Equal Employment Opportunities Officer
the Ombudsmans Office
the Human Rights Commission.
Stress awareness training is now a mandatory part of recruit training. A pilot course was conducted at BBC during September-October 1988.
As well as the above training module, Critical Incident Stress Debriefing MID is available to all staff who are involved in a critical incident during the course of their duties. This is also mandatory, and the level of CID required is commensurate with the degree of trauma experienced at the time.
Staff who display signs of stress are free to consult an appropriately qualified practitioner of their choice. They are also free and encouraged to
avail themselves of the ACT Government Services Staff Counsellor and _
the Centres Registered Nurse who is well qualified in this area. To date
she has been very effective in counselling staff who have developed work
related stress problems.
Mr Russell Bayliss of the ACT Government Solicitors Office has represented the Department in the past. However, on 27 June 1990, Mr Bayliss was required to appear on behalf of the ACT Community and Health Service in the Federal Court in Sydney. Accordingly, Counsel was briefed on behalf of the Department on-.the day before the hearing due to Mr Bayliss unavailability. This briefing of Counsel to appear before the COPRA is not contrary to- OPERA guidelines and occurs frequently for both the Department and appellants.
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