Page 1184 - Week 03 - Thursday, 31 March 2011
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MS BURCH: Not at that meeting, no. That was the question: was that raised at that meeting? And no, it was not, Mr Coe.
MRS DUNNE: A supplementary question, Mr Speaker?
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mrs Dunne.
MRS DUNNE: Minister, at that meeting on 24 November, did staff raise with you issues such as allegations that there was a culture of violence and bullying at Bimberi and, if so, what action did you take in response?
MS BURCH: The staff there raised a broad set of concerns in commentary and thoughts about their operations and their workplace at Bimberi. My action was to go back to my department and to have a frank and fearless discussion with my department and implement some significant changes. We have implemented change management. We have appointed Danny O’Neill, who goes out there one day a week. And he has started that. He started that in the early part of this year, after being committed to that work in the latter part of last year. And he will continue to do that up until the middle of this year, at this point.
Other things that we have brought about because of that meeting include a review of the induction program. Staff were issued with uniforms. It was most unfortunate that staff there did not have uniforms issued. That was remedied. There were also concerns about access to training and supervision. And those improvements have been put in place.
Bimberi is a challenging, complex work environment not only for the young people there but for the workers. After the concerns were raised with me, we have put a number of systems in place. They go to operational matters, educational matters, supervision matters and practical matters such as uniforms.
MRS DUNNE: A supplementary question, Mr Speaker?
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mrs Dunne.
MRS DUNNE: Minister, what other issues were raised with you during that meeting before you, to quote from a caller to radio 2CC on Tuesday afternoon: “She turned her body from us. She put her hands over her ears and went, ‘La, la, la, la, la, la, I don’t want to know’”?
MS BURCH: As I have said consistently from that meeting an undertaking I had with staff that they could talk to me without fear or intimidation—
Mrs Dunne: Because you weren’t listening.
MS BURCH: It was open conversation. They asked me to hold that conversation in confidence so I could effect the change without them fearing any identification of the
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